A Survey of Potential Bacterial Hazards in Salad Vegetables Sold in Lusaka District, Zambia, in 2018

Salad vegetables are a source of fresh nutrition and can also serve a vehicle for foodborne pathogens. This was a cross sectional study conducted in February and March 2018 aimed at isolating some enteropathogens from some salad vegetables. Ten samples of each salad vegetable (carrots, cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes) were collected from two supermarkets and two open-markets. A total of 160 samples were collected and analysed microbiologically for presence of Shigella spp, Vibrio spp and Salmonella spp. The isolated bacteria were identified by conventional biochemical tests. Vibrio spp were isolated from all the vegetables that were collected from both the two open markets (62.5% and 72.5%) and two supermarkets (67.5% and 77.5%), with the highest isolation rate recorded in cabbages. The frequency of occurrence of Shigella spp and Salmonella spp was higher in supermarkets (50% and 65%; 50% and 15%) than in the open markets (10% and 7.5%; 10% and 35%), respectively. The present study revealed the presence of potential bacterial hazards in salad vegetables sold in both open markets and supermarkets in Lusaka district. The isolated bacterial pathogens are aetiological agents of diarrheal disease that even at low dose could be infectious for sensitive populations.