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Journal of Food Security. 2022, 10(3), 89-96
DOI: 10.12691/JFS-10-3-1
Original Research

Characterization of Psychrophilic Pathogens in Ready-to-eat Salads Sold in Supermarkets in the City of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

N’Goran Parfait N’Zi1, 2, Hadja Djénéba Ouattara3, Yao Paul Attien1, Valérie Carole Gbonon2, Nathalie Kouadio Guessennd2 and Djédoux Maxime Angaman1,

1Department of Biochemistry-Microbiology, Agrovalorization Laboratory, Jean Lorougnon Guédé University, Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire

2Department of Bacteriology-Virology, National Reference Center for Antibiotics, Pasteur Institute, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

3Laboratory of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Valorization of Biological Resources, Biotechnology Unit, Felix HOUPHOUET-BOIGNY University, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Pub. Date: October 13, 2022
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N’Goran Parfait N’Zi, Hadja Djénéba Ouattara, Yao Paul Attien, Valérie Carole Gbonon, Nathalie Kouadio Guessennd and Djédoux Maxime Angaman. Characterization of Psychrophilic Pathogens in Ready-to-eat Salads Sold in Supermarkets in the City of Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire). Journal of Food Security. 2022; 10(3):89-96. doi: 10.12691/JFS-10-3-1

Abstract

Ready-to-eat salads have become highly demanded foods in the city of Abidjan (Côte d’ivoire) because of their considerable benefits both nutritionally and therapeutically. However, these foods are considered products that are very vulnerable to microbial contamination. In order to contribute to food safety in Côte d'Ivoire, in particular among the Abidjan population, we have set the objective of inventorying psychrophilic pathogenic species in ready-to-eat salads sold in supermarkets. Thus, a total of 60 samples were analyzed using the techniques of classical microbiology, molecular biology, bioinformatics and statistics. For the search for psychrophilic pathogens, the selective culture medium (Oxford agar) of the pathogens frequently isolated (L. monocytogenes) was used. Microbiological analyzes revealed the presence of similar germs in 6 samples based on growth characters with Oxford’s selective medium. However, molecular sequencing allowed to identify six (6) different pathogens, Lysinibacillus fusiformis in spinach salads (EP), Listeria monocytogenes in mixed salads (SCOM), Staphylococcus saprophyticus in lamb's lettuce and arugula, Staphylococcus fleurettii in carrots (SCA), Staphylococcus nepalensis in young shoots (JP) and Bacillus cereus in cabbage (SCH). The growth kinetics showed the characterized species grow significantly in the different lettuces under domestic storage conditions after opening the packaging except for S. fleurettii. However, the growth of L. fusiformis and B. cereus was found to be more significant. In conclusion, S. saprophyticus, S. nepalensis, B. cereus, L. fusiformis and B. cereus grow easily on oxford agar presenting similar culture characters like L. monocytogenes. In addition, the presence of unknown pathogenic species in ready-to-eat salads and their significant growth during the domestic storage period is a real public health problem. It would therefore be wise for the health authorities to set up a monitoring program for these species in the ready-to-eat sold in supermarkets in Côte d'Ivoire.

Keywords

ready-to-eat salads, psychrophilic pathogens, Abidjan (Côte d’Ivoire)

Copyright

Creative CommonsThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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