Survey of microbial quality of plant-based foods served in restaurants

This study was carried out to evaluate the microbiological quality of plant-based foods obtained from foodservice establishments. The samples included cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables. According to the European Commission Regulation (No. 2073/2005 and No. 1441/2007) and Spanish microbiological criteria (No. 3484/2000), vegetables were the plant-based dishes where more samples exceed the adopted limits of mesophilic aerobic counts and Enterobacteriaceae. Furthermore, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also found in several vegetable dishes. E. coli and Salmonella spp. were detected in 6.6% and 0.7% of lettuce samples, respectively. However, all the samples were negative for Listeria monocytogenes. Salads ingredients are eaten as fresh vegetables without cooking processes and lettuce was one of the most contaminated samples. As ready-to-eat salads which have been previously cleaned, this means that contamination might be caused by incorrect cleaning practices or inadequate hygienic handling. These results emphasize the necessity to apply and to maintain good hygienic practices in the restaurants.

► The consumption of fruits and vegetables is vital in a healthy diet.
► Recent outbreaks showed that plant-based foods can be vehicles for foodborne pathogens.
► The presence of pathogenic bacteria in plant-based foods indicates wrong handling practices.
► Good hygienic practices are essential to guarantee the quality of the products.