A waterborne disease has been discovered in pre-washed vegetables being sold at major supermarkets in Kent.
According to research paper titled "Presence of Cryptosporidium parvum in pre‑washed vegetables from different supermarkets in South East England: A pilot study" published by Parasitology Research, Cryptosporidium was found in over 50 per cent of samples of pre-washed vegetables analyzed by the scientists.
Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes an infection called cryptosporidiosis, affecting people and farm animals with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pains and fever. Cryptosporidium is typically found in lakes, streams, rivers and untreated drinking water.
Anastasios Tsaousis, from the university’s School of Biosciences, who led the research, said, "The presence of Cryptosporidium in pre-washed vegetables could mean revisiting the sanitation methods employed by suppliers along the chain of production such as improved hygiene measures during harvesting, processing, packaging, transportation and storage.
"There is also a need for increased awareness among consumers on the adequate storage of vegetables and handwashing before eating."
The pilot study was conducted between May and July 2023 on 36 pre-washed bags containing a variety of vegetables. Dr Tsaousis said the 2023 study could not distinguish between "live and inert" cryptosporidium.
Cryptosporidium is a parasite that causes an infection affecting people and farm animals with symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach pains and fever. It is usually found in lakes, streams, rivers and untreated drinking water.
Pre-washed and ready-to-eat vegetables undergo more thorough washing with water containing chlorine disinfectants compared to unpackaged vegetables. But cryptosporidium particles have been found to be resistant to disinfection with chlorine and can only be reliably removed by boiling water or filtration, according to the research.
Dr Tsaousis said suppliers may need to consider improving hygiene measures during harvesting, processing, packaging, transportation and storage. Cryptosporidium has most recently been identified for contaminating drinking water in areas of the UK.
