It is known that raw-mixed vegetable salads are essential part of people＇s diet all around the world. These vegetables salads are consumed raw and often without heat treatment or thorough washing. Raw-mixed vegetable...It is known that raw-mixed vegetable salads are essential part of people＇s diet all around the world. These vegetables salads are consumed raw and often without heat treatment or thorough washing. Raw-mixed vegetable salads therefore can serve as vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms associated with human diseases. The aim of this study was to isolate and analyze the common bacterial pathogens associated with raw-mixed vegetable salads prepared and sold by street food vendors in Korle-Gonno, Accra, Metropolis, Ghana. A total of 75 different raw-mixed vegetable salads were sampled from the open places and were subjected to bacteriological analysis using standard Food and Agriculture Organization （FAO） of the United Nations （UN） total aerobic plate count method. A total mean colony count of bacteria ranged 0.87-5.6 log10 CFU/g was isolated. Escherichia coli （35%）, Staphylococcus aureus （33%）, Klebsiella sp. （17%）, and Bacillus sp. （15%） were the bacteria isolated from the various raw-mixed vegetables salads investigated. This study has shown that all the raw-mixed vegetable salads sampled from Korle-Gonno, Accra Metropolis, Ghana had a high bacterial contamination and their persistence and proliferation is a reflection of poor hygienic practices by the street food vendors. The use of unsafe or contaminated water to irrigate the vegetables when growing on the farm or garden could also be a contributing factor.展开更多
文摘It is known that raw-mixed vegetable salads are essential part of people＇s diet all around the world. These vegetables salads are consumed raw and often without heat treatment or thorough washing. Raw-mixed vegetable salads therefore can serve as vehicle for the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms associated with human diseases. The aim of this study was to isolate and analyze the common bacterial pathogens associated with raw-mixed vegetable salads prepared and sold by street food vendors in Korle-Gonno, Accra, Metropolis, Ghana. A total of 75 different raw-mixed vegetable salads were sampled from the open places and were subjected to bacteriological analysis using standard Food and Agriculture Organization （FAO） of the United Nations （UN） total aerobic plate count method. A total mean colony count of bacteria ranged 0.87-5.6 log10 CFU/g was isolated. Escherichia coli （35%）, Staphylococcus aureus （33%）, Klebsiella sp. （17%）, and Bacillus sp. （15%） were the bacteria isolated from the various raw-mixed vegetables salads investigated. This study has shown that all the raw-mixed vegetable salads sampled from Korle-Gonno, Accra Metropolis, Ghana had a high bacterial contamination and their persistence and proliferation is a reflection of poor hygienic practices by the street food vendors. The use of unsafe or contaminated water to irrigate the vegetables when growing on the farm or garden could also be a contributing factor.
