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Osaili TM, Hasan F, Al-Nabulsi AA, Olaimat AN, Ayyash M, Obaid RS, Holley R. A worldwide review of illness outbreaks involving mixed salads/dressings and factors influencing product safety and shelf life. Food Microbiol 2023; 112:104238. [PMID: 36906321 DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2023.104238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The trends toward healthy living, vegetarianism, and busy schedules have increased salad popularity. Salads are usually consumed raw without any thermal treatment, and therefore, without proper care they can become major vehicles for foodborne illness outbreaks. This review examines the microbial quality of 'dressed' salads which contain two or more vegetables/fruits and salad dressings. The possible sources of ingredient contamination, recorded illnesses/outbreaks, and overall microbial quality observed worldwide, besides the antimicrobial treatments available are discussed in detail. Noroviruses were most frequently implicated in outbreaks. Salad dressings usually play a positive role in influencing microbial quality. However, this depends on several factors like the type of contaminating microorganism, storage temperature, dressing pH and ingredients, plus the type of salad vegetable. Very limited literature exists on antimicrobial treatments that can be used successfully with salad dressings and 'dressed' salads. The challenge with antimicrobial treatments is to find ones sufficiently broad in spectrum, compatible with produce flavour which can be applied at competitive cost. It is evident that renewed emphasis on prevention of produce contamination at the producer, processor, wholesale and retail levels plus enhanced hygiene vigilance at foodservice will have a major impact on reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses from salads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tareq M Osaili
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, The University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan.
| | - Fayeza Hasan
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anas A Al-Nabulsi
- Department of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan
| | - Amin N Olaimat
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, P.O. Box 330127, Zarqa, 13133, Jordan
| | - Mutamed Ayyash
- Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture & Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University (UAEU), United Arab Emirates
| | - Reyad S Obaid
- Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, College of Health Sciences, The University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, University of Sharjah, P. O. Box 27272, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
| | - Richard Holley
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3T 2N2, Canada
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