Research Note: Bacterial Contamination in the Environment of Food Factories Processing Ready-to-Eat Fresh Vegetables

摘要

A total of 196 samples were collected form equipment for trimming, washing, slicing, soaking, dehydrating, blending, and packaging and from the floor and air of operation rooms before and after operation in two food factories processing ready- to-eat fresh vegetables located in the suburbs of Tokyo. Heavy contamination determined by an aerobic plate count of >5.0 log CFU/cm~2 or ml was observed after operation inmost of the samples examined, as were samples taken before operation on the interior surfaces of equipment for washing, slicing, dehydrating, and blending, the surfaces of blades for slicing, and the floor surfaces of operation rooms.