MICROBIAL FLORA OF FRESHLY-PRODUCED VEGETABLES: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

In the last years, the market of minimally processed vegetables has dramatically increased in quantity as well as variety. These products are ready-to-use, in fact they are prepared, packaged under vacuum or modified atmospheres or also in air, in other to improve their shelf-life. Because these vegetables are often consumed without cooking it seems be always interesting to study their microbial load. 30 samples of various fresh-produced vegetables (i.e. lettuces, red radish, carrots, tomatoes, pepperoni; alone or mixed each other) packaged in PP bags or vessel were microbiologically analysed. Total and faecal coliforms counts were on the order of 107 CFU/g and 4,4 x 103 CFU/g respectively. High values of other Gram negatives bacteria (i.e. Pseudomonas sp) were also determined. No Salmonella sp nor enteropathogenic Vibrio sp were detected, whereas one strains of L. monocytogenes was isolated from a sample of lettuce wash. According to other data of the literature, our results confirm the need of a careful application of GMPs in manufacturing of these products. More detailed official controls are also needed to improve the level of hygienic quality on these vegetables.