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Table 1 Prevalence of foodborne bacteria in pre-packed salads, salad bar ingredients and smoked salmon samples collected between September 2011 and September 2012 (phases I and II)

From: Microbial survey of ready-to-eat salad ingredients sold at retail reveals the occurrence and the persistence of Listeria monocytogenes Sequence Types 2 and 87 in pre-packed smoked salmon

 

Percentage (%) of positive samples (Range of bacterial counts detected in positive samples, log CFU/g)

 

L. monocytogenes

B. cereus

E.coli

S. aureus

Salad bar ingredients

 Seafood

44.1% (15/34)

2.9% (1/34)

2.9% (1/34)

0% (0/34)

  

(2.0 log CFU/g)

(3.4 log CFU/g)

 

 Poultry & eggs

0% (0/32)

6.3% (2/32)

6.3% (2/32)

3.1% (1/32)

  

(2.7 log CFU/g)

(1.6 – 1.8 log CFU/g)

(1.9 log CFU/g)

 Dressing

0% (0/34)

2.9% (1/34)

0% (0/34)

0% (0/34)

  

(2.3 log CFU/g)

  

 Pasta, rice & couscous

0% (0/34)

0% (0/34)

5.9% (2/34)

0% (0/34)

   

(2.0 – 2.5 CFU/g)

 

 Vegetable

0% (0/33)

0% (0/33)

0% (0/33)

6.1% (2/33)

    

(3.2 log CFU/g)

 Cheese

0% (0/31)

0% (0/31)

0% (0/31)

0% (0/31)

Pre-packed salads

 Pasta, rice& couscous salads

0% (0/30)

33.3% (10/30)

0% (0/30)

0% (0/30)

  

(2.0 – 2.7 log CFU/g)

  

 Vegetable salads

0% (0/44)

15.9% (7/44)

2.3% (1/44)

0% (0/44)

  

(2.0 – 3.6 log CFU/g)

(1.7 log CFU/g)

 

 Chicken salads

6.3% (2/32)

3.1% (1/32)

3.1% (1/32)

0% (0/32)

  

(2.0 log CFU/g)

(1.0 log CFU/g)

 

 Pre-packed dressing

0% (0/37)

0% (0/37)

0% (0/37)

0% (0/37)

Smoked salmon

 Unsealed items displayed at salad barsa

86.7% (13/15)

6.7% (1/15)

0% (0/15)

0% (0/15)

(<1.0 – 4.9 log CFU/g)b

(2.5 log CFU/g)

  

 Pre-packed items at Supermarkets

21.6% (37/171)

1.8% (3/171)

0% (0/171)

0% (0/171)

(<1.0 – 5.4 log CFU/g)c

(2.5 – 3.4 log CFU/g)

  
  1. a A subset of seafood ingredients sold at salad bars
  2. b L. monocytogenes counts were determined in 7 of the 13 positive samples, median count = 3.5 log CFU/g
  3. c L. monocytogenes counts were determined in 34 of the 37 positive samples, median count = 3.1 log CFU/g