External factors may bring salmonella to melons, tomatoes: EFSA
External factors may bring salmonella to melons and tomatoes, according to a statement from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on Friday.
Environmental factors such as heavy rainfall, use of contaminated water for irrigation and contaminated equipment are among the external factors that cause contamination of melons and tomatoes with norovirus and salmonella, the statement added.
Experts from the EFSA recommended that producers use good agricultural, hygiene and manufacturing practices to reduce contamination.
The agency stressed that it could not assess the suitability of microbiological criteria at primary production or during the processing of tomatoes and melons due to lack of relevant information.
Source: Xinhua
Published: 03 Oct 2014
