Microbiological Quality of Raw Vegetables and Ready to Eat Products Sold in Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire) Markets | Chapter 16 | Theory and Applications of Microbiology and Biotechnology Vol. 1
Vegetables are usually consumed raw. This implied best hygienic conditions from the harvest to the processing because of the gastro-enteritis that they could provoke. This study was conducted with the aim to appreciate microbiological quality of raw tomatoes, endives and ready-to-eat products sold in markets. Samples were taken randomly in two markets of Abidjan. A microbiological analysis was done in order to identify and enumerate fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus and Pseudomonas. A decontamination treatment based on washing samples with running water and sodium hypochlorite solution I° chlorymetric was also applied to tomatoes and endives. The results indicated that, for tomatoes and endives, the average load was 1.5.10 4 CFU/g of Enterococcus, 1.3.10 3 CFU/g of Pseudomonas and 1.7.10 2 CFU/g of fecal coliforms. In ready-to-eat products, the load was 9.3.10 1 CFU/g for Enterococcus, l.03.10 1 CFU/g for Pseudomonas and 9.9.10 1 CFU/g for fecal coliforms. The dis...