Endogenous microbial contamination of melons (Cucumis melo) from international trade: an underestimated risk for the consumer?

Background: Fruits and vegetables have increasingly been related to foodborne outbreaks. Besides surface contamination, a possible internalization of microorganisms into edible parts of plants during growth has already been observed. To examine an actual risk for the consumer, microbial contamination of the rind and pulp of 147 muskmelons from international trade was assessed using cultural and biochemical methods, polymerase chain reaction and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry.

Identification of Stachybotrys spp. by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry.

Stachybotrys (S.) spp. are omnipresent cellulolytic molds.

Detection of Listeria monocytogenes in pork and beef using the VIDAS® LMO2 automated enzyme linked immunoassay method.

Listeria (L.) monocytogenes, a foodborne pathogen, is known to be a possible contaminant of foods during production and processing. Samples (n=985) of raw meat and by-products obtained from beef and pork were first screened by the VIDAS system for the presence of Listeria spp.