HYGIENIC QUALITY OF PRE-PACKED READY-TO-S ERVE SALADS IN 1995

Total microbial counts as well as counts of enterobacteria, pseudomona ds, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds were determined in 20 samp les of pre-packed ready-to-serve salads which had been obtained from l ocal retail stores or directly from the producers. The presence of lis teria was checked in ten samples. Total viable counts ranged from 3 x 10(5) to 2 x 10(8) cfu/g initially. In 10 % of the samples counts exce eded the recommended DGHM upper value on the day of purchase. Only 20 % of the samples remained below the DGHM limit within the indicated sh elf-life period. Among the total counts, enterobacteria and pseudomona ds (together up to 93 %) prevailed. In three out of ten samples checke d for Listeria sop. L. monocytogenes and in one sample L. grayi have b een found. These results show that fresh pre-packed ready-to-serve sal ads, especially when they contain perishable ingredients such as sprou ts or surimi, may constitute a health risk. Storage tests confirmed th e necessity of strictly maintaining the cold chain (< 10 degrees C) fr om producers to consumers.