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FSPCA - Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance

Monday, February 13, 2017

FDA Updated Testing on Cucumbers and Hot Peppers Indicates Risk of Salmonella Contamination

FDA published an update of their cucumber and hot pepper testing.  "FDA has tested 1,328 cucumber samples (352 domestic, 976 imports), and 1,387 hot pepper samples (287 domestic, 1,100 imports). Of the cucumber samples, 27 tested positive for Salmonella (11 domestic, 16 imports), while the rest tested negative for the targeted pathogens. Of the hot pepper samples, 42 tested positive for Salmonella (1 domestic, 41 imports), and 1 tested positive for a strain of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli "
                                                       Salmonella
Cucumbers             Sampled          Positive               Percent Pos
Total                        1,328                    27                   2.03
Domestic                    352                    11                   3.12
Imported                     976                    16                   1.64

Peppers
Total                        1.387                    42                   3.03
Domestic                    287                     1                    0.35
Imported                  1,100                    41                   3.73

These numbers show that cucumbers and peppers are subject to contamination.  Grown at ground level, it is easy for these items to become contaminated, and that contamination can spread through post-harvest procedures.
For consumers, this is a reminder that it is important to wash these items, especially if they are going to be eaten raw.

FDA Constituent Update
http://www.fda.gov/Food/NewsEvents/ConstituentUpdates/ucm529552.htm
FDA Shares Data from Ongoing Sampling Program
Constituent Update
What’s New
February 13, 2017

As of January 1, 2017, the FDA has tested 1,328 cucumber samples (352 domestic, 976 imports), and 1,387 hot pepper samples (287 domestic, 1,100 imports). Of the cucumber samples, 27 tested positive for Salmonella (11 domestic, 16 imports), while the rest tested negative for the targeted pathogens. Of the hot pepper samples, 42 tested positive for Salmonella (1 domestic, 41 imports), and 1 tested positive for a strain of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli that was determined to be incapable of causing severe illness, while the rest tested negative for the targeted pathogens. Testing is still underway and no conclusions can be drawn at this time.

November 17, 2016

As part of its overall mission to ensure food safety and prevent contaminated products from reaching consumers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is releasing interim test results from its concentrated sampling of cucumbers and hot peppers.

In 2014, the FDA adopted a new, proactive sampling program for a variety of commodities to learn more about the prevalence of disease-causing bacteria and to help the agency identify patterns that may help predict and prevent future contamination. These large-scale microbiological sampling assignments were designed to collect a statistically determined number of samples of certain commodities over 12 to 18 months and test them for certain types of bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses.

The FDA began sampling and testing cucumbers and hot peppers because these products have previously been associated with large-scale outbreaks of foodborne illness and may come into contact with contaminated water, soil or equipment during growing, harvesting, and post-harvest. The agency is in the process of collecting and testing approximately 1,600 samples of each commodity for Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7. The hot peppers also are being tested for Shiga-toxin producing E. coli.

As of October 1, 2016, the FDA has tested 1,050 cucumber samples and 1,130 hot pepper samples. Of the cucumber samples, 15 tested positive for Salmonella while the rest tested negative for all of the targeted pathogens. Of the hot pepper samples, 35 tested positive for Salmonella, and one tested positive for a strain of Shiga-toxin producing E. coli that was determined to be incapable of causing severe illness, while the rest tested negative for all of the targeted pathogens. This testing is still underway and no conclusions can be drawn at this time.

As more data becomes available, the FDA will continue to share test results from sampling assignments, including total number of samples collected and tested, sample type, and pathogen detected for positive samples.

For Additional Information:
FY16 Cucumbers and Hot Peppers

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