Agricultural practices in Brazilian organic farms and microbiological characteristics of samples collected along the production chain.

Aims: To gather data on agricultural practices in organic farms in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and evaluate their relationship with the microbiological characteristics of samples collected along the production chain.

Methods And Results: Practices data were based on field observations and interviews with farmers in 10 selected organic lettuce producing farms. Counts of Enterobacteriaceae and surveys for Salmonella were performed in samples of lettuce (before and after washing), fertilizers, irrigation and washing water, all collected in the same farm.

Behavior of the Biological Control Agent subsp. ABTS-1857 and on Spinach Plants and Cut Leaves.

Fresh produce has been identified as an important vehicle for the transmission of foodborne pathogens. This study evaluated the behavior of vegetative cells and spores of , one of the main biological control agents (BCAs) used in the world, and on spinach plants (pre-harvest) and spinach cut leaves (post-harvest) at 12°C, experimentally inoculated as single or co-cultures. The results evidenced that spray-inoculated commercial BCA containing subsp.