Department of Gastrointestinal, Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections, London NW9 5EQ, UK.
Food Microbiol. 2010 Feb;27(1):171-4. doi: 10.1016/j.fm.2009.08.003. Epub 2009 Aug 14.
Consumption of nut kernels has shown an upward trend due to people's increasing tendency to eat healthy snacks. The purpose of this survey was to establish the microbiological safety of retail edible nut kernel samples of different varieties. Overall Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli were detected from 0.1% and 0.8% of 2886 edible nut kernels, respectively. S. Senftenberg and S. Tennessee were detected from two pre-packed samples of Brazil nuts (0.4%) and S. Anatum from a pre-packed mixed nuts sample (0.9%; mix: almonds, Brazils, cashews, peanuts, walnuts) indicating a risk to health. The levels of Salmonella ranged from <0.01 to 0.23/g. E. coli at unsatisfactory levels (150/g) was present in another pre-packed Brazils nuts sample (0.2%). E. coli was additionally found at lower levels (range: 3.6-43/g) in Brazils (1.9%), macadamia (1.5%), pistachios (1.1%), walnuts (0.7%), peanuts (0.7%), hazels (0.5%), cashews (0.4%), and almonds (0.3%). Levels of E. coli did not correlate with the presence of Salmonella. The batches contaminated with Salmonella were recalled and Food Standards Agency food alerts were issued to advise against the consumption of the affected products. The presence of Salmonella is unacceptable in ready-to-eat foods and follows that the need for applying good agricultural and hygiene practices and effective decontamination procedures during the production of edible kernels cannot be overemphasized.
由于人们越来越倾向于食用健康的零食，坚果仁的消费呈上升趋势。本调查的目的是确定不同品种零售可食用坚果仁样本的微生物安全状况。在 2886 份可食用坚果仁中，分别有 0.1%和 0.8%的样本检测到沙门氏菌属和大肠杆菌。从两份包装好的巴西坚果样本（0.4%）中检测到了肠炎沙门氏菌和塞内卡谷热沙门氏菌，从一份包装好的混合坚果样本（0.9%；混合：杏仁、巴西坚果、腰果、花生、核桃）中检测到了阿纳托沙门氏菌，表明存在健康风险。沙门氏菌的水平从<0.01 至 0.23/g 不等。另一份包装好的巴西坚果样本（0.2%）中大肠杆菌的含量也不符合要求（150/g）。在巴西坚果（1.9%）、澳洲坚果（1.5%）、开心果（1.1%）、核桃（0.7%）、花生（0.7%）、榛子（0.5%）、腰果（0.4%）和杏仁（0.3%）中还发现了较低水平的大肠杆菌（范围：3.6-43/g）。大肠杆菌的水平与沙门氏菌的存在无关。受污染的批次已被召回，食品标准局发布了食品警报，建议不要食用受影响的产品。沙门氏菌在即食食品中是不可接受的，这表明在生产可食用坚果仁时，必须采取良好的农业和卫生实践，并实施有效的消毒程序，这一点再怎么强调也不为过。
