ABSTRACT

Fresh produce imported by Qatar are mostly sold at the wholesale produce market (WPM) located in open-air and near major animal markets and slaughterhouses. This study was the first in Qatar to monitor the effect of environmental conditions on the microbial quality and safety of fresh produce sold at the WPM over 1 year. The monitoring involved the collection of 540 produce samples along with samples of air, soil, and surface swabs. Samples were analyzed for total aerobic bacteria (TAB); generic Listeria spp., Staphylococcus spp., Salmonella spp.; total coliforms and total fungi. Bacterial and fungal isolates were identified using 16S rRNA/ITS rRNA markers. Environmental/sanitary factors significantly impacted the prevalence of microorganisms in all samples tested. Produce quality was rated ‘poor’ during the months of November–February or May–August, with TAB and coliform counts exceeding 6 and 4 log₁₀ CFU/g, respectively. Bacillus subtilus, Enterobacter cloacae, E. faecium, P. expansium, P. aurantiocandidum, and A. niger were the most abundant species with prevalence rate of 11–30%. The high microbial load of environmental samples indicates that the location of the WPM near livestock markets is likely impacting the microbial quality of fresh produce. Therefore, effective control measures need to be implemented at WPM to improve produce safety yearlong.

摘要

卡塔尔进口的新鲜农产品大多在位于露天和主要动物市场和屠宰场附近的农产品批发市场 (WPM) 出售。这项研究是卡塔尔首次监测环境条件对 WPM 出售的新鲜农产品的微生物质量和安全性的影响，为期一年。监测涉及收集 540 个农产品样本以及空气、土壤和表面拭子样本。分析样品的总需氧菌 (TAB)；通用李斯特菌属、葡萄球菌属、沙门氏菌种；总大肠菌群和总真菌。使用 16S rRNA/ITS rRNA 标记鉴定细菌和真菌分离物。环境/卫生因素显着影响了所有测试样品中微生物的流行。在 11 月至 2 月或 5 月至 8 月期间，产品质量被评为“差”，TAB 和大肠菌群计数分别超过 6 和 4 log ₁₀ CFU/g。枯草芽孢杆菌、阴沟肠杆菌、E. faecium、P. expansium、P. aurantiocandidum和A. niger是最丰富的物种，流行率为11-30％。环境样本的高微生物负荷表明 WPM 靠近牲畜市场的位置可能会影响新鲜农产品的微生物质量。因此，需要在 WPM 实施有效的控制措施，以提高全年的生产安全。