Grass and leaf products may be contaminated with pathogens

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Aug 24, 2017 - Foods

Grass and leaf products may be contaminated with pathogens

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has carried out a health assessment of grass and leaf products in light of regular reports of pathogens in raw, ready-to-eat plant-based foods in the European Rapid Alert System.

These ready-to-eat grass and leaf products include, for example, the following foods: fresh leafy vegetables including lettuce and herbs, dried herbs and tea leaves, green smoothies...

These products can contain pathogens and cause illnesses such as salmonellosis, EHEC infections, or listeriosis. Therefore, to minimize risk, the BfR recommends the following measures:

• wash fresh leafy products thoroughly before consumption and use them as quickly as possible
• store chopped fresh leafy products at a maximum of +7°C until consumption and use them quickly
• store freshly made green smoothies at a maximum of +7°C until consumption and use them on the day of preparation
• herbal teas should be steeped with boiling water
• pregnant and immunocompromised individuals should avoid consuming pre-cut and packaged salads and instead eat salads made from fresh and thoroughly washed ingredients

We are happy to assist you with any further questions. In our laboratory, we test a wide range of plant-based foods for pathogenic microorganisms like Salmonella, EHEC/STEC, and Listeria monocytogenes. Whether with classic ISO methods or 24-hour rapid methods, we have extensive experience in these examinations and in evaluating the results.

Our experts are happy to help you!

Sabrina Vallicotti
State-certified Food Chemist
E-Mail: sabrina.vallicotti@bav-institut.de
Tel.: 0781/96947-187

Source: BfR Opinion No. 013/2017 of 10.07.2017