Waterborne Diseases and Wastewater Treatment in Iraq.

Iraq is a desert country with access to large river resources and an extensive aquifer, but these have already been overdrawn for domestic, industry and agriculture use. The diminished flow of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has allowed seawater intrusion from the Persian Gulf 110 km up as far as Basra, the county's third largest city. In addition, water distribution systems are overloaded and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) need upgrading, and fresh water sources polluted by lack of sanitation, agricultural runoff, household and industrial waste, and including the irrigation of vegetables with sewage water, have led to episodes of bacterial, viral and parasitic diseases. Also, there have been increases in many types of cancer since the early 1990s, and based on clinical and epidemiological data, these increases could be attributable to exposure to depleted uranium in the environment arising from conflict in Iraq and particularly during the Iraqi War started 20 years ago. The population affected would like government action to reduce their health concerns, and policies that have been proposed for improving water availability and quality, as well as but have not been followed up sufficiently to tackle these, including increasing the capacity and efficiency of WWTP; promoting the most efficient irrigation techniques for the local growing conditions; reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can decrease the water quality; reducing saline intrusion challenges; building compact desalination units; constructing water storage facilities to address water scarcity challenges; and establishing public education plans for consumers to reduce the water demand during the hot season. Whether the government rises to the task remains to be seen. Also, do those countries that used the DU have a responsibility to remove or otherwise dispose of the fragments that remain?

How has public perception of food safety and health risks changed a year after the pandemic and vaccines roll out?

The recent coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused unprecedented turmoil and spurred fears that have profoundly changed the public's social and health behaviours, including the perception of food safety risks. One year after the pandemic and the global vaccination campaign, the public perception of food safety and the changes in their hygiene behaviour, health risks concerns, and trust were studied in Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia using a cross-sectional online survey. The results of 538 subjects showed a rise in the frequency of hygiene practices, notably in handwashing. Sixty-four percent of the participants were vaccinated, a proportion made up mainly of the Jordanians and Lebanese. For 66% and 64% of the two population groups, respectively, there were no longer trust concerns about COVID-19 health risks following vaccination, whereas the worries about getting COVID-19 persisted for others. Only 47% of participants trusted eating food prepared by vaccinated food handlers. A great majority of the Tunisians (81%) showed varying degrees of concern about COVID-19 transmission from food and the lowest vaccination rate (33%). The current study demonstrated that the impact of vaccination policy positively affects public perception of food-related risks during the pandemic. On the other hand, 33% of the surveyed Jordanians and Tunisians lost trust in the health authorities' management of the pandemic, and 45% of the Lebanese still don't trust them. Communication strategies on health and food safety with the public still represent a challenge for these and probably other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Strategies for building and maintaining public trust are crucial to curb persistent fear of food, hence, avoiding potential stigmatization affecting the food economy by promoting health awareness and positive changes in food safety perceptions for safer practices.

An on-line survey of the behavioral changes in Lebanon, Jordan and Tunisia during the COVID-19 pandemic related to food shopping, food handling, and hygienic practices.

The impact of the novel coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has spanned across the various aspects of life globally. Understanding public reactions is vital for effective risk communication and outbreak control and prevention. The Arab world has diverse cultural, economic, and social structures, so public choices and decisions also vary. To investigate the changes in behavior related to food shopping and handling, precautions measures, and hygiene practices of the public during the pandemic, a web-based survey tool was developed and conducted on 1074 subjects in three Arab countries, Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia, using a snowball sampling technique. The results showed a significant reduction in RTE consumption during the pandemic, as shown in the 19.2% and 12.2% rise in the proportion of respondents not ordering hot and cold RTE food delivery, respectively. Compared to pre-COVID-19 times, a substantial increase in behaviors related to hygiene and disinfection practices (22.0%-32.2%) was observed with a lesser increase (11.2%) in handwashing practices before food preparation. Moreover, public concerns about contracting COVID-19 from food led to almost doubling the number of Tunisians using cleaning agents for washing fresh fruits and vegetables (e.g., soaps, non-food grade chlorine bleach) besides a 16% and 26.1% increase in use among the Jordanian and Lebanese, respectively. However, a third of the respondents did not follow instructions on labels for the use of chemical products. In conclusion, this study identified culture-specific shortfalls in handwashing and unsafe food handling practices during COVID-19 in the Arab countries and sheds light on the paramount role of coordinated efforts between the local health authorities and the food safety and public health stakeholders in risk communication. To reduce health risks, there need to be rigorous educational campaigns and targeted messages that reach out to the general audience on hand hygiene, the health effects of haphazard use of unsafe chemical compounds on food, and recommendations on following label instructions.

The public perception of food and non-food related risks of infection and trust in the risk communication during COVID-19 crisis: A study on selected countries from the Arab region.

The coronavirus pandemic caused a state of panic worldwide. Mixed messages were given about its risk and how to contain it, when trust in authorities and reliable scientific information are essential to reduce unnecessary scares and inappropriate risk perceptions. We know little about public concerns and opinions in health authorities in the Arab world. Thus, an attempt was made to generate such information through a web-based survey. A total of 1074 subjects from Lebanon, Jordan, and Tunisia were recruited to explore their perception of food and non-food risks of infection and the influence of the source of information, trust, and attitudes towards the local authorities' communication of risk. Seventy percent of the respondents were concerned that COVID-19 may be transmitted through food. The perception of risk from touching contaminated surfaces and food packaging and being exposed to infected people during food shopping was even higher. For only less than half of the respondents, the information from local authorities was considered trustworthy and the associated risk communication and response to false rumors were timely, effective, and clear. But the satisfaction level among the Jordanians was remarkably stronger than for the Lebanese and Tunisian respondents. The demographic factors, trust in information, and attitudes towards authorities' performance in risk communication did not influence risk perceptions. Respondents' knowledge was limited based on their chief sources of information, such as social media, local news media broadcasts, and announcements by the World Health Organization. Our conclusion is that unnecessary fear increases among the public when risks that impact heath are unknown. More research in the Arab region is needed to understand the determinants of risk perceptions considering psychological factors on the risk to health. Unfortunately, it is difficult to restrict or contain misleading information from various forms of social media. We recommend that for reducing fear and building confidence with the public for appropriate action during the pandemic, local authorities should enhance the quality and level of details of the information that they share during such crises.

Food-Borne Disease Prevention and Risk Assessment.

"Food-borne Disease Prevention and Risk Assessment" is a Special Issue of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health on understanding how food-borne disease is still a global threat to health today and to be able to target strategies to reduce its prevalence [...].

Prevention and Control of Foodborne Diseases in Middle-East North African Countries: Review of National Control Systems.

Foodborne diseases continue to be a global public health problem with an estimated 600 million people falling ill annually. In return, international standards are becoming stricter which poses challenges to food trade. In light of the increasing burden of foodborne diseases, many countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region have upgraded their food laws and undertaken changes to the organizational structure of their regulatory institutions to maintain or expand international export activities, tighten control on local and imported products, and protect consumers' health. However, until this date, the published information on the regional health burdens of foodborne diseases is very limited and it is not clear whether the recent changes will serve towards science-based and effective preventive functions and the adoption of the risk management approach. In this review, we summarize the recent food safety issues and the national food control systems of selected countries in the region although we were challenged with the scarcity of information. To this end, we examined the national food safety systems in the context of the five essential elements of the FAO/WHO Guidelines for Strengthening National Food Control Systems. These five elements-food law and regulations; food control management; inspection services; laboratory services; food monitoring; and epidemiological data, information, education, communication, and training-constitute the building blocks of a national food control system, but could also serve as tools to assess the effectiveness of the systems.

Probabilistic risk model of norovirus transmission during handling and preparation of fresh produce in school foodservice operations.

Human noroviruses (NoV) are recognized worldwide as important pathogens and the primary cause of foodborne disease outbreaks from contaminated food in the U.S. They are often transmitted by infected food handlers manipulating foods during preparation, such as fresh fruits and vegetables. This paper provides a study to model the transfer of NoV between food handlers and vegetables during salad preparation in school food services based on direct observation data. Three transfer pathways were modeled by considering different initial contamination sources (environment, handlers and contaminated produce). The probability of infection by NoV was also estimated based on the NoV levels at consumption obtained from each simulated transfer pathway. A scenario analysis ranging a wide concentration from 102 to 107 NoV infective particles was performed to represent different levels of NoV in the initial contamination sources. In addition, a sensitivity analysis was applied to identify the most important model inputs and determine the safest handling practices to be implemented in school food service operations. The pathway describing transfer from contaminated surfaces or handlers to foods indicated that initial levels of ≤104 NoV particles/fomite resulted in <0.5% cases per serving of NoV infection. When initial levels were higher, % cases of NoV infection was estimated to be ca. 3%. This rise in % cases of infection was linked to higher doses (5% serving with ≥15 NoV particles/serving) and prevalence levels at consumption (>0.2). In the pathway modeling cross contamination from contaminated vegetables to non-contaminated vegetables, all scenarios could lead to infected individuals, although number of cases of infection were lower (<1.3%), despite concentration levels were higher. On the contrary, for this pathway, prevalence was 2-fold lower than that observed in the pathways describing transfer from contaminated surfaces and hands. Based on the sensitivity analysis, NoV transfers to fresh produce may be minimized by improving hand washing, and therefore effective training programs need to be carried out specifically addressing hand washing. Moreover, the produce's washing step showed to be an effective control measure, depending on the desinfectant efficacy, by reducing % cases of NoV infection from 6 to 1%. The model in this study might be used, in the future, to evaluate the impact on the risk associated with NoV transmission of specific and effective training programs, aimed at food chain operators.

A Review on the Rising Prevalence of International Standards: Threats or Opportunities for the Agri-Food Produce Sector in Developing Countries, with a Focus on Examples from the MENA Region.

Food safety standards are a necessity to protect consumers' health in today's growing global food trade. A number of studies have suggested safety standards can interrupt trade, bringing financial and technical burdens on small as well as large agri-food producers in developing countries. Other examples have shown that economical extension, key intermediaries, and funded initiatives have substantially enhanced the capacities of growers in some countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to meet the food safety and quality requirements, and improve their access to international markets. These endeavors often compensate for the weak regulatory framework, but do not offer a sustainable solution. There is a big gap in the food safety level and control systems between countries in the MENA region and those in the developed nations. This certainly has implications for the safety of fresh produce and agricultural practices, which hinders any progress in their international food trade. To overcome the barriers of legal and private standards, food safety should be a national priority for sustainable agricultural development in the MENA countries. Local governments have a primary role in adopting the vision for developing and facilitating the implementation of their national Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) standards that are consistent with the international requirements and adapted to local policies and environment. Together, the public and private sector's support are instrumental to deliver the skills and infrastructure needed for leveraging the safety and quality level of the agri-food chain.

The Impact of Climate Change on Raw and Untreated Wastewater Use for Agriculture, Especially in Arid Regions: A Review.

Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time that pose unprecedented stress to the environment and threats to human health. The global impacts of climate change are vast, spanning from extreme weather events to changes in patterns and distribution of infectious diseases. Lack of rainfall associated with higher temperatures has a direct influence on agricultural production. This is compounded by a growing population forecasted to expand further with increasing needs for food and water. All this has led to the increasing use of wastewater worldwide. In this review, we more specifically discuss the use of untreated wastewater in agriculture in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, the most arid region in the world. This presents challenges for agriculture with respect to water availability and increasing wastewater use in agri-food chain. This in turn exerts pressures on the safety of food raised from such irrigated crops. Current practices in the MENA region indicate that ineffective water resource management, lack of water quality policies, and slow-paced wastewater management strategies continue to contribute to a decline in water resources and an increased unplanned use of black and graywater in agriculture. Radical actions are needed in the region to improve water and wastewater management to adapt to these impacts. In this regard, the 2006 WHO guidelines for the use of wastewater contain recommendations for the most effective solutions. They provide a step-by-step guide for series of appropriate health protection measures for microbial reduction targets of 6 log units for viral, bacterial, and protozoan pathogens, but these need to be combined with new varieties of crops that are drought and pest resistant. More research into economic local treatment procedures for wastewater in the region is warranted.

Foodborne disease and food control in the Gulf States.

Gulf States in the Middle East have had to change rapidly from subsidence herding, farming and fishing communities to modern states through the exploitation of revenue-generating petroleum products. Fresh water is an even more precious commodity than oil today as this is seen as a rapidly diminishing resource through over use of aquifers with scarce and unpredictable rainfall not replenishing the needs of these countries which increasing rely on reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination of seawater but at a cost in terms of energy. Recycling of waste water and sewage is carried out and used to water urban landscaping and some crops, but there are risks of the presence of pathogens. Much food today is imported to satisfy the requirements of expanding populations, especially foreign workers on temporary visas who make up more than half the residents in many of these Gulf States. Despite limited published data on Gulf States regarding enteric and foodborne diseases and their prevention and control, profiles emerge that can describe the current situation and some future directions. Gastrointestinal diseases, such as typhoid, cholera, and amebic dysentery can be brought into these countries through workers returning from endemic regions, and also through refugees from conflict-torn neighboring countries. However, some diseases are endemic like brucellosis and fatal illnesses from the newly identified Middle East Respiratory Corona Virus (MERS-CoV) associated with camels. In the 1990s, coalition troops stationed during the Gulf War brought in external suppliers and caterers, but using local products like chickens with troops occasionally suffering from infections. The hot climate, particularly in summer, can allow rapid growth of pathogens in foods, especially where refrigeration is not available as in home-prepared lunches by workers and during transportation of foods across traffic-congested cities. One of the biggest concerns for Saudi Arabia is the health oversight of millions during the annual Hajj, and despite much care over restriction of infected pilgrims and care of food, occasional outbreaks have been reported. Government agencies are particularly concerned about restaurant food and try and follow up on complaints of customers but rarely are agents identified; those that have include Salmonella, Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus. Implicated foods include ethnic products such as Turkish menu items and shawarma. Local culture may play a role in allowing growth of pathogens such as serving women after men at weddings. However, deaths that have been attributed to microbial sources may have been caused by illegal use of pesticides such as aluminum phosphide. Severe penalties have been applied to owners and staff implicated in outbreaks including fines, jail sentences and deportations, which are not typical of Western nations. However, some agencies have initiatives to help educate and train foreign workers in several languages. Foodborne disease surveillance systems are generally not adequate though some countries have initiated modernization of inspection approaches and laboratories. Consumer surveys show that residents have some knowledge of foodborne disease but this could be improved especially for women who do most of the shopping and food preparation in homes. Agencies are increasing directing campaigns for general food safety in their populations, and as long as resources are available, food control is likely to improve over time in Gulf States which is good news for visitors, expatriate workers and citizens alike.

Adequate Hand Washing and Glove Use Are Necessary To Reduce Cross-Contamination from Hands with High Bacterial Loads.

Hand washing and glove use are the main methods for reducing bacterial cross-contamination from hands to ready-to-eat food in a food service setting. However, bacterial transfer from hands to gloves is poorly understood, as is the effect of different durations of soap rubbing on bacterial reduction. To assess bacterial transfer from hands to gloves and to compare bacterial transfer rates to food after different soap washing times and glove use, participants' hands were artificially contaminated with Enterobacter aerogenes B199A at ∼9 log CFU. Different soap rubbing times (0, 3, and 20 s), glove use, and tomato dicing activities followed. The bacterial counts in diced tomatoes and on participants' hands and gloves were then analyzed. Different soap rubbing times did not significantly change the amount of bacteria recovered from participants' hands. Dicing tomatoes with bare hands after 20 s of soap rubbing transferred significantly less bacteria (P < 0.01) to tomatoes than did dicing with bare hands after 0 s of soap rubbing. Wearing gloves while dicing greatly reduced the incidence of contaminated tomato samples compared with dicing with bare hands. Increasing soap washing time decreased the incidence of bacteria recovered from outside glove surfaces (P < 0.05). These results highlight that both glove use and adequate hand washing are necessary to reduce bacterial cross-contamination in food service environments.

The transfer rate of Salmonella Typhimurium from contaminated parsley to other consecutively chopped batches via cutting boards under different food handling scenarios.

In many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, leafy green parsley is typically eaten raw and prepared by fine chopping several batches. This study aimed to quantify the transfer rate of S. Typhimurium (Tr) across all chopped batches in scenarios that resemble normally occurring operations in restaurants and home kitchens. Fresh parsley leaves were inoculated at concentrations of 6 and 3logCFU/g and chopped on a polyethylene cutting board (CB). Uninoculated parsleys were sequentially chopped in individual batches on the same cutting surface, 1) instantly (CB Instant), 2) after washing in water and holding at 30°C 24h (CBWW), 3) after washing in soapy water, sponge scrubbing and holding at 30°C 24h (CB SW). Using the high inoculum levels, the mean Tr was 0.012±0.04, 0.014±0.02 and 0.010±0.008, via CB Instant, WW and SW, respectively. Comparatively, the Tr mean values were significantly higher with the low inoculum levels, 0.60±0.65 and 0.64±0.46, via CB Instant and CB WW respectively, and transmissions of S. Typhimurium significantly decreased across consecutively chopped batches on both washed CBs (P<0.05). These results demonstrated continuous transfer of Salmonella cells, from contaminated parsley to cutting boards and subsequently re-contaminating up to 6 batches of parsley chopped consecutively on the same surface. A greater cross-contamination rate was recorded during the initial phases of chopping and remained at 24h at 30°C. Vigilant cleaning and sanitation procedures on cutting surfaces should be a fundamental requirement after use with fresh produce, particularly if there is a likelihood of insufficient food safety measures at harvest and post-harvest stages.

Bacterial contamination in Saeng-go-gi, a ready-to-eat fresh raw beef dish sold in restaurants in South Korea.

This study investigated the bacterial contamination levels in ready-to-eat fresh raw beef, Saeng-go-gi in Korean, sold in restaurants. A total of 462 samples were analyzed by performing an aerobic bacterial plate count, a coliform count, and an Escherichia coli O157:H7 count. Aerobic bacterial plate counts of fresh raw beef obtained from Seoul, Cheonan, Daegu, Gunsan, and Gwangju retail store restaurants were 6.46, 6.89, 6.39, 6.58, and 6.67 log CFU/g, respectively, and coliforms were 4.05, 4.97, 4.76, 3.62, and 3.32 log CFU/g, respectively. Among the 462 assessed samples, suspected E. coli O157:H7 colonies were found in 32, 24, 20, 22, and 16 samples obtained from Seoul, Cheonan, Daegu, Gunsan, and Gwangju, respectively. The identity of these isolated colonies was further assessed by using a latex agglutination kit. The agglutination assay data showed that the isolates were not E. coli O157:H7. The data from this study could be used to design better food handling practices for reducing foodborne illnesses linked to fresh raw beef consumption.

Tracking an Escherichia coli O157:H7-contaminated batch of leafy greens through a pilot-scale fresh-cut processing line.

Cross-contamination of fresh-cut leafy greens with residual Escherichia coli O157:H7-contaminated product during commercial processing was likely a contributing factor in several recent multistate outbreaks. Consequently, radicchio was used as a visual marker to track the spread of the contaminated product to iceberg lettuce in a pilot-scale processing line that included a commercial shredder, step conveyor, flume tank, shaker table, and centrifugal dryer. Uninoculated iceberg lettuce (45 kg) was processed, followed by 9.1 kg of radicchio (dip inoculated to contain a four-strain, green fluorescent protein-labeled nontoxigenic E. coli O157:H7 cocktail at 10(6) CFU/g) and 907 kg (2,000 lb) of uninoculated iceberg lettuce. After collecting the lettuce and radicchio in about 40 bags (∼22.7 kg per bag) along with water and equipment surface samples, all visible shreds of radicchio were retrieved from the bags of shredded product, the equipment, and the floor. E. coli O157:H7 populations were quantified in the lettuce, water, and equipment samples by direct plating with or without prior membrane filtration on Trypticase soy agar containing 0.6% yeast extract and 100 ppm of ampicillin. Based on triplicate experiments, the weight of radicchio in the shredded lettuce averaged 614.9 g (93.6%), 6.9 g (1.3%), 5.0 g (0.8%), and 2.8 g (0.5%) for bags 1 to 10, 11 to 20, 21 to 30, and 31 to 40, respectively, with mean E. coli O157:H7 populations of 1.7, 1.2, 1.1, and 1.1 log CFU/g in radicchio-free lettuce. After processing, more radicchio remained on the conveyor (9.8 g; P < 0.05), compared with the shredder (8.3 g), flume tank (3.5 g), and shaker table (0.1 g), with similar E. coli O157:H7 populations (P > 0.05) recovered from all equipment surfaces after processing. These findings clearly demonstrate both the potential for the continuous spread of contaminated lettuce to multiple batches of product during processing and the need for improved equipment designs that minimize the buildup of residual product during processing.

Social influence in child care centers: a test of the theory of normative social behavior.

Child care centers are a unique context for studying communication about the social and personal expectations about health behaviors. The theory of normative social behavior (TNSB; Rimal & Real, 2005 ) provides a framework for testing the role of social and psychological influences on handwashing behaviors among child care workers. A cross-sectional survey of child care workers in 21 centers indicates that outcome expectations and group identity increase the strength of the relationship between descriptive norms and handwashing behavior. Injunctive norms also moderate the effect of descriptive norms on handwashing behavior such that when strong injunctive norms are reported, descriptive norms are positively related to handwashing, but when weak injunctive norms are reported, descriptive norms are negatively related to handwashing. The findings suggest that communication interventions in child care centers can focus on strengthening injunctive norms in order to increase handwashing behaviors in child care centers. The findings also suggest that the theory of normative social behavior can be useful in organizational contexts.

Transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 from equipment surfaces to fresh-cut leafy greens during processing in a model pilot-plant production line with sanitizer-free water.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 contamination of fresh-cut leafy greens has become a public health concern as a result of several large outbreaks. The goal of this study was to generate baseline data for E. coli O157:H7 transfer from product-inoculated equipment surfaces to uninoculated lettuce during pilot-scale processing without a sanitizer. Uninoculated cored heads of iceberg and romaine lettuce (22.7 kg) were processed using a commercial shredder, step conveyor, 3.3-m flume tank with sanitizer-free tap water, shaker table, and centrifugal dryer, followed by 22.7 kg of product that had been dip inoculated to contain ∼10(6), 10(4), or 10(2) CFU/g of a four-strain avirulent, green fluorescent protein-labeled, ampicillin-resistant E. coli O157:H7 cocktail. After draining the flume tank and refilling the holding tank with tap water, 90.8 kg of uninoculated product was similarly processed and collected in ∼5-kg aliquots. After processing, 42 equipment surface samples and 46 iceberg or 36 romaine lettuce samples (25 g each) from the collection baskets were quantitatively examined for E. coli O157:H7 by direct plating or membrane filtration using tryptic soy agar containing 0.6% yeast extract and 100 ppm of ampicillin. Initially, the greatest E. coli O157:H7 transfer was seen from inoculated lettuce to the shredder and conveyor belt, with all equipment surface populations decreasing 90 to 99% after processing 90.8 kg of uncontaminated product. After processing lettuce containing 10(6) or 10(4) E. coli O157:H7 CFU/g followed by uninoculated lettuce, E. coli O157:H7 was quantifiable throughout the entire 90.8 kg of product. At an inoculation level of 10(2) CFU/g, E. coli O157:H7 was consistently detected in the first 21.2 kg of previously uninoculated lettuce at 2 to 3 log CFU/100 g and transferred to 78 kg of product. These baseline E. coli O157:H7 transfer results will help determine the degree of sanitizer efficacy required to better ensure the safety of fresh-cut leafy greens.

Quantitative transfer of Escherichia coli O157:H7 to equipment during small-scale production of fresh-cut leafy greens.

Postharvest contamination and subsequent spread of Escherichia coli O157:H7 can occur during shredding, conveying, fluming, and dewatering of fresh-cut leafy greens. This study quantified E. coli O157:H7 transfer from leafy greens to equipment surfaces during simulated small-scale commercial processing. Three to five batches (22.7 kg) of baby spinach, iceberg lettuce, and romaine lettuce were dip inoculated with a four-strain cocktail of avirulent, green fluorescent protein-labeled, ampicillinresistant E. coli O157:H7 to contain ∼10(6), 10(4), and 10(2) CFU/g, and then were processed after 1 h of draining at ∼23°C or 24 h of storage at 4°C. Lettuce was shredded using an Urschel TransSlicer at two different blade and belt speeds to obtain normal (5 by 5 cm) and more finely shredded (0.5 by 5 cm) lettuce. Thereafter, the lettuce was step conveyed to a flume tank and was washed and then dried using a shaker table and centrifugal dryer. Product (25-g) and water (40-ml) samples were collected at various points during processing. After processing, product contact surfaces (100 cm(2)) on the shredder (n = 14), conveyer (n = 8), flume tank (n = 11), shaker table (n = 9), and centrifugal dryer (n = 8) were sampled using one-ply composite tissues. Sample homogenates diluted in phosphate or neutralizing buffer were plated, with or without prior 0.45- m m membrane filtration, on Trypticase soy agar containing 0.6% yeast extract supplemented with 100 ppm of ampicillin to quantify green fluorescent protein-labeled E. coli O157:H7 under UV light. During leafy green processing, ∼90% of the E. coli O157:H7 inoculum transferred to the wash water. After processing, E. coli O157:H7 populations were highest on the conveyor and shredder (P<0.05), followed by the centrifugal dryer, flume tank, and shaker table, with ∼29% of the remaining product inoculum lost during centrifugal drying. Overall, less (P<0.05) of the inoculum remained on the product after centrifugally drying iceberg lettuce that was held for 1 h (8.13%) as opposed to 24 h (42.18%) before processing, with shred size not affecting the rate of E. coli O157:H7 transfer.

Recent developments in the detection of melamine.

In recent years, there were two reported outbreaks of food borne illness associated with melamine. The presence of melamine and its related compounds in milk, feed, and other foods has resulted in the need for reliable methods for the detection and accurate quantification of this class of contaminants. The sample pretreatment for melamine in a complex matrix usually involves a liquid extraction by a polar solvent, followed by a further clean-up with solid phase extraction. Analyses of melamine and related compounds are commonly carried out by liquid or gas chromatographic methods conjugated with mass spectrometry. Other innovative screening methods, which use antibodies, molecularly imprinted polymers, capillary electrophoresis, and gold nanoparticles, are also used to develop assays and biosensors to melamine. However, many of these methods have been hindered by matrix effects, the solubility of melamine-cyanuric acid complex, and background contamination. This article reviews recent developments for detecting melamine and discusses future directions.

Growth of Listeria monocytogenes in different retail delicatessen meats during simulated home storage.

Delicatessen meats are reported to be the leading vehicle of foodborne listeriosis in the United States. Listeria monocytogenes can reach high numbers in these products during storage, and the growth rate is largely dictated by product formulation and storage temperature. To assess the impact of product age on Listeria growth, five commercial brands each of cured and uncured turkey breast, ham, and roast beef (three lots per brand) were sliced (approximately 25 g per slice) at the beginning of the shelf life, the midpoint, and the last allowable day of sale, surface inoculated with an eight-strain cocktail of L. monocytogenes (approximately 40 CFU/g), and then quantitatively examined for Listeria, lactic acid bacteria, and mesophilic aerobic bacteria during aerobic storage at 4, 7, or 10°C. As expected, L. monocytogenes grew faster in deli meats without rather than with Listeria inhibitors (lactate and/or diacetate) and at the highest storage temperature (10°C). Lag-phase durations for L. monocytogenes in deli meats with and without Listeria inhibitors were 9.21, 6.96, and 5.00 and 6.35, 3.30, and 2.19 days at 4, 7, and 10°C, respectively. Generation times for L. monocytogenes in deli meats with and without Listeria inhibitors were 1.59, 1.53, and 0.85 and 0.94, 0.50, and 0.36 at 4, 7, and 10°C, respectively. Maximum population densities for L. monocytogenes in deli meats with and without Listeria inhibitors were 5.26, 5.92, and 5.97 and 8.47, 8.96 and 9.34 log CFU/g at 4, 7, and 10°C, respectively. Although lactate and diacetate suppressed L. monocytogenes growth, the extent of inhibition differed, ranging from total inhibition in roast beef to only partial inhibition in ham and cured turkey. Listeria growth was also impacted by lot-to-lot variation in the concentrations of Listeria inhibitors, product pH, and background microflora. These data will be useful for developing recommendations for "best consumed by" dating for deli meats using a risk-based approach.

Outbreaks where food workers have been implicated in the spread of foodborne disease. Part 9. Washing and drying of hands to reduce microbial contamination.

During various daily activities at home and work, hands quickly become contaminated. Some activities increase the risk of finger contamination by pathogens more than others, such as the use of toilet paper to clean up following a diarrheal episode, changing the diaper of a sick infant, blowing a nose, or touching raw food materials. Many foodborne outbreak investigation reports have identified the hands of food workers as the source of pathogens in the implicated food. The most convenient and efficient way of removing pathogens from hands is through hand washing. Important components of hand washing are potable water for rinsing and soaps to loosen microbes from the skin. Hand washing should occur after any activity that soils hands and certainly before preparing, serving, or eating food. Antimicrobial soaps are marginally more effective than plain soaps, but constant use results in a buildup of the antimicrobial compound on the skin. The time taken to wash hands and the degree of friction generated during lathering are more important than water temperature for removing soil and microorganisms. However, excessive washing and scrubbing can cause skin damage and infections. Drying hands with a towel removes pathogens first by friction during rubbing with the drying material and then by wicking away the moisture into that material. Paper rather than cloth towels should be encouraged, although single-use cloth towels are present in the washrooms of higher class hotels and restaurants. Warm air dryers remove moisture and any surface microorganisms loosened by washing from hands by evaporation while the hands are rubbed together vigorously; however, these dryers take too long for efficient use. The newer dryers with high-speed air blades can achieve dryness in 10 to 15 s without hand rubbing.