Survival of Foodborne Pathogens on Berries

Fresh and frozen berries are popular foods. When berries are picked for fresh consumption, they are usually packed directly without washing because they are highly perishable. Fresh berries also are commonly included in fresh-cut fruit mixtures sold as a ready-to-eat product. Berries may be washed before freezing, but they are not usually blanched or heat-treated unless they will be used in preserves or other processed products. There is typically no ?kill step? that would eliminate pathogens on fresh or frozen berries. The above paragraphs belong to a study mentioned by Postharvest Postings from UC Davis - February 2015 (the monthly newsletter from Postharvest Technology, by UC Davis), by?Palumbo et al., that analyzes the presence of foodborne pathogens in frozen berries. It contains a summary of the data on the survival the pathogens in fresh and frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries (Tables 1?4). Conclusions mention that although the freeze-thaw cycle may reduce pathogen viability, these laboratory and outbreak data provide clear evidence that, for many pathogens, viability and virulence are retained in frozen storage. The study is available below. Sources Postharvest Technology UD Davis NewslettersThe picture is by solostocks.com ?