Foods containing raw ingredients should be carefully prepared and refrigerated
According to a study done by researchers at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education in collaboration with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salsa- or guacamole-associated (SGA) outbreaks accounted for 1.5 percent of all food establishment outbreaks from 1984 to 1997. This figure more than doubled to 3.9 percent during the ten-year period from 1998 to 2008. One of the researchers, Magdalena Kendall, says, “Fresh salsa and guacamole, especially those served in retail food establishments, may be important vehicles of food borne infection. Salsa and guacamole often contain diced raw produce including hot peppers, tomatoes and cilantro, each of which has been implicated in past outbreaks. Possible reasons salsa and guacamole can pose a risk for food borne illness is that they may not be refrigerated appropriately and are often made in large batches so even a small amount of contamination can affect many customers. Awareness that salsa and guacamole can transmit food borne illness, particularly in restaurants, is key to preventing future outbreaks.”
Risk can be lowered by following guidelines for safe preparation and storage of fresh salsa and guacamole to reduce contamination or pathogen growth.
Kendall says, “We want restaurants and anyone preparing fresh salsa and guacamole at home to be aware that these foods containing raw ingredients should be carefully prepared and refrigerated to help prevent illness.”
Magdalena Kendall is a researcher at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
Source: http://www.iceid.org/images/stories/newsroom/salsa.pdf
July 12, 2010