Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
taloupe along the Rio Grande River in the United States, but observed that the low
level observed did not have an impact on the melons being processed. The use of
contaminated ice may also be source enteric pathogens (Cannon and others 1991).
Conclusions
The amount of information on the microbiological quality of water used in the
production of produce is limited, especially for enteric pathogens. Such information
is needed to better assess the role and risks contaminated water plays in disease trans-
mission by fresh produce. The role of irrigation waters in produce contamination is
clear when feces-contaminated waters are used. However, application of quantitative
microbial risk assessment is needed to better understand the impact on low- level
transmission. The levels of enteric pathogens acceptable for irrigation and process
water need to be defi ned. Standards need to be developed for irrigation waters that
are meaningful and reduce the risk of produce contamination taking into consideration
the means of irrigation and the type of produce. Irrigation systems are very complex,
and sources and ecology of fecal contamination from nonsewage sources need to be
better studied.
The role water plays in produce contamination has been overlooked and clearly
needs more study to ensure it is not a source of pathogens in produce consumed raw.
References
Abbaszedegan M , LeChevallier M , Gerba C . 2003 . Occurrence of viruses in US groundwaters . J Am Water
Works Assoc 95 : 107 - 120 .
Alum A. 2001. Control of viral contamination of reclaimed water irrigated vegetables by drip irrigation.
Ph.D. diss., University of Arizona, Tucson.
Artz RR , Killham K . 2002 . Survival of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 in private drinking water wells: infl uence
of protozoan grazing and elevated copper concentrations . FEMS Environ Microbiol 7 : 241 - 248 .
Ashbolt NJ , Grabow WOK , Snozzi M . 2001 . Indicators of microbial water quality .
In
Water Quality:
Guidelines and Health , edited by Fewtell L , Bartram J . pp. 289 - 315 . London : IWA Publishing .
Avery LM , Hill P , Killham K , Jones D . 2004 .
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 survival following the surface and
sub-surface application of human pathogen contaminated organic waste to soil. Soil Biol Biochem
36 : 2101 - 2103 .
Bosch A , Pinto RM , Abad FX . 2006 . Survival and transport of enteric viruses in the environment .
In
Viruses
Foods , edited by Goyal SM . pp. 151 - 187 . New York : Springer .
Bruce MG , Curtis MB , Payne MM , Gautom RK , Thompson EC , Bennett AL , Kobayashi JM . 2003 . Lake -
associated outbreak of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 in Clark County, Washington, August 1999. Arch
Pediatr Adolesc Med 157 : 1016 - 1021 .
Byappanahalli M , Fujioka R . 2004 . Indigenous soil bacteria and low moisture may limit but allow fecal
bacteria to multiply and become a minor population in tropical soils . Water Sci Technol 50 : 27 - 32 .
Cabbelli VJ . 1981 . Swimming - associated illness and recreational water quality criteria . Water Sci Technol
21 : 13 - 21 .
Cannon R , Hirschhorn JRB , Rodeheaver DC , Silverman EA , Brown GH , Talbort SE , Stine SE , Monroe
SS , Dennis DT . 1991 . A multistate outbreak of Norwalk virus gastroenteritis associated with consump-
tion of commercial ice . J Infect Dis 164 : 860 - 863 .
Carpenter K . 2007 . The ecology of bacterial pathogens and
Salmonella
in irrigation canals. M.S. thesis,
University of Arizona, Tucson.
Carrillo M , Estrada E , Hazen TC . 1985 . Survival and enumeration of the fecal indicators
Bifi dobacterium
adolescentes
and
Escherichia coli
in a tropical rain forest watershed. Appl Environ Microbiol
50 : 468 - 476 .
