Authors: Robertson, L.J.; Gjerde, B.

Source: Journal of Food Protection®, Volume 63, Number 6, June 2000 , pp. 775-778(4)

Publisher: International Association for Food Protection

Abstract:

Published techniques for recovering parasites from fruit and vegetables are generally inadequate, with low and variable recovery efficiencies. Here we describe an improved methodology for analyzing fruit and vegetables for Giardia cysts, Cryptosporidium oocysts, and Ascaris eggs. The method includes washing procedures, sonication, and, for Giardia and Cryptosporidium, immunomagnetic separation. Identification is by immunofluorescence (Giardia and Cryptosporidium) or brightfield microscopy (Ascaris). Recovery efficiencies from lettuce, Chinese leaves, and strawberries were found to be approximately 67% for Giardia, 42% for Cryptosporidium, and 72% for Ascaris. Recovery efficiencies from bean sprouts tended to be more variable and lower. This could be due to material removed with the parasites during the washing procedures, which, in turn, appeared related to the age of the bean sprouts. It is therefore recommended that fruit and vegetables should be as fresh as possible when analyzed for parasites.

Document Type: Short communication

Affiliations: 1: Section of Parasitology, Department of Pharmacology, Microbiology and Food Hygiene, The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, P.O. Box 8146 Dep., 0033 Oslo, Norway

Publication date: 2000-06-01

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