3.2.2. Exposure assessment

Production data

Leafy salad vegetables, such as lettuce, rocket, and baby spinach, are the most common products in the fresh cut category.Based on limited industry information, the estimated annual consumption of fresh cut fruit and vegetables is:11,000 tonnes of fresh cut vegetables, 150 tonnes of fresh cut fruit, approximately 1000 tonnes of vegetables in oil, and between 2100 and 2600 tonnes of seed sprouts. Fruit juice suppliers suggest that manufacture of unpasteurized fruit juices occurs at relatively low volume, about 100,000 L/year, not including juices prepared in retail premises.

Consumption of plant products

Consumption of fruits, during the period 1997–98 and 1998–99, increased by 8.3% from 124.7 kg per capita to 135.0 kg. In the same period, the import of oranges and other citrus fruit rose by more than 62%.Consumption of vegetables has shown a steady 9.4% increase over the last decade. Per capita consumption of tomatoes showed a significant increase from 20.9 kg in 1997–98 to 24.9 kg in 1998–99, a rise of 19%. The category of other vegetables showed a 4.6% increase in consumption in 1998–99 to 25.1 kg per person.Approximately 35% of all respondents consumed fruit juices and drinks, with the mean consumption being 250mL per day.

Prevalence of hazards in plant products

Generally, there have been a small number of surveys of plant products. The analysis of 54 samples of ready-to-eat salads and vegetables showed that only one was positive for L. monocytogenes. Szabo et al. (2000) tested 120 minimally processed, cut and packaged lettuce samples. Three samples (2.5%) were positive for L. monocytogenes, 66 samples (55%) were positive for Aeromonas hydrophila or A. caviae and 71 samples (59%) were positive for Y. enterocolitica.The survey of the microbiological quality of freshly squeezed juices showed that L. monocytogenes was detected in 1/291 samples (0.3%), but the level was sufficient to classify the sample as potentially hazardous. E. coli was detected in 7/291 samples (2.4%). In 2006, it was found that E. coliwas detected in 7 out of 261 samples (2.7%) of sprouted seeds from a retail store, while Listeria and Salmonella were not detected in any samples. A sample was found to be potentially hazardous due to the presence of verotoxigenic E. coli (VTEC) and a further two samples were categorized as unsatisfactory due to elevated levels of E. coli. A more extensive survey of 122 samples in 2008 found that 99.2% of sampleswere microbiologically acceptable, with a single sample categorized as unsatisfactory due to B. cereus at a level of 5500 cfu/g. E. coli was detected in 1/119 samples (0.8%) of fresh cut vegetables, while Salmonella, L. monocytogenes and VTEC were not detected in any samples.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) surveyed the bacteriological safety of a range of plant products as part of a European Commission coordinated program (FSAI, 2003). Pre-cut fruit and vegetables had samples classed as unacceptable/potentially hazardous due to the presence of Salmonella in 1/529 samples (0.2%) and L. monocytogenes in 1/344 samples (0.3%). Qualitative tests found 21/513 samples (4.1%) positive for L. monocytogenes. No sprouted seeds samples were classed as unacceptable or potentially hazardous. L. monocytogenes was detected in 1/26 samples (3.8%). No problems were detected with unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices.

A similar European Commission program surveyed pre-packed mixed salads from retail premises in the UK for L. monocytogenes.L. monocytogenes was detected in 4.8% of collected samples. A parallel survey by FSAI included Salmonella testing in the survey design. Quantitative analysis detected two samples with L. monocytogenes at levels exceeding 100 cfu/g. Summarized microbiological results of surveys of prepared salads and fruit examined in the UK showed no isolations of E. coli O157 or Campylobacter. Five out of 3852 samples (0.1%) of bagged salad vegetables were positive for Salmonella but other commodities were negative. L. monocytogenes and E. coli were detected in most commodities surveyed, usually at low incidence.

Studies of bacterial pathogens in plant foods in the US (2006 Annus horribilis) showed a drastic increase in contaminated food: sprouts, Salmonella – 100 cases; lettuce, E. coli O121:H19 – 4 cases and E. coli O157:H7– 162 cases; spinach, E. coli O157:H7 – 202 cases; carrot juice; Cl. botulinum - 6 cases; tomatoes, Salmonella – 400 cases; strawberries, suspected L. monocytogenes; cantaloupes and spinach, suspected Salmonella.