Letter to the Editor

摘要

To Dr. Donnelly, Scientific Editor, Food Microbiology and Safety Section,rnConsumer demand for healthy, additive-free foods has led to increased consumption of raw salad vegetables in developed countries. Availability of prepared bagged salads has increased, and so have the number of studies on the microbiological quality of minimally processed vegetables ready for consumption. The initial mi-crobial load of vegetables, especially leafy ones, plays a crucial role in the microbiological content of pre-packed salads, yet few studies have been published to this day on microorganisms of fecal origin isolated from raw/untreated vegetables.