Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify the bacterial contamination in fresh-cut fruits. Total viable aerobes, coliforms and fecal Escherichia coli in fresh-cut fruits were investigated. We prepared samples of fresh-cut melon, pineapple, watermelon, grapefruit, orange and kiwi. The incidence of total viable aerobes was the order of 2-6 log10 cfu/g depending on the fruits tested. Fecal E. coli was detected in fresh-cut melon, pineapple and watermelon, and the numbers were 8, 1 and 2 of 10 samples each, respectively.
The ability of E. coli O157: H7 and Salmonella Enteritidis to survive and grow on cubes of melon, watermelon, pineapple and grapefruit was investigated. After being inoculated withE. coli O157: H7 and S. Enteritidis, the samples were kept at 4, 10 and 20°C, and their bacterial counts were examined after 0, 12, 24 and 48 hr of incubation . In the samples of melon and watermelon, E. coli O 157: H7 and S. Enteritidis proliferated during stor. age at 20°C, but showed no change during storage at 4 and 10°C. However, E. coli O157: H7 and S.Enteritidis inoculated onto fresh-cut cubes of pineapple and grapefruit did not grow during 48 hr of storage at 4, 10 and 20°C. This result indicates that E. coli O157: H7 and S. Enteritidis were capable of growth and rapid proliferation on fresh-cut melon and watermelon at higher temperatures than those of a refrigerator.
