2024 - Hygiene sample bag salad - Too many germs in half of all ready-made salads

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High germ counts in 10 out of 20 ready-made salads in the bag: This is not dangerous, but it is unappetizing.

Prepared and cut salads are practical when things have to be done quickly. And they are becoming more and more popular: at Migros, around every third salad sold is a ready-made salad, and discounter Denner sells slightly more salads prepared in bags than open.

“Kassensturz” left 20 different mixed lettuce and lettuce out of the bag in the accredited laboratory Simec in Oftringen AG for germs. On the expiry date, laboratory manager Manuel Dill and his team checked the lettuce for yeast, mold, coliform bacteria (E. coli), listeria and the total bacterial count.

Half of all ready-to-eat salads contain too many germs

In half of the lettuce tested, the total bacterial count was too high. The laboratory is based on the guidelines of the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology.

“The total germ count is a good parameter for estimating how many germs are present on the product,” explains laboratory manager Manuel Dill. “If the guideline value is exceeded, you enter an area in which the quality of the product is reduced, and it goes in the direction of spoilage.” These salads are therefore not hazardous to health.

Good news: E. coli, mold and yeast values are not too high

Germs can get into the lettuce bags in different ways: lettuce has natural flora on the leaves, and other germs can get onto the lettuce through the soil or animals in the field. If there is a lack of hygiene in processing, other microorganisms can be introduced or carried over during harvesting, preparation and washing.

Store cool
Use as soon as possible, never exceed the expiry date
The germs can be reduced by washing the pre-washed lettuce. In the “Kassensturz” test, the total number of germs on the lettuce was reduced by 20 to 80 percent.

Overview

Fortunately, the laboratory did not find too many E. coli bacteria, mold or yeast in any of the salads.

Listeria in a sample lettuce

The laboratory was able to detect listeria in a ready-to-eat salad: in Coop’s Naturaplan organic mixed salad. These bacteria can be dangerous in large quantities for pregnant women, the elderly and immunocompromised people. Because listeria are found almost everywhere in nature, including the soil, they can end up in lettuce. This roughly coincides with the Switzerland-wide campaign by cantonal chemistswhich in 2018 were able to detect listeria in around three percent of all processed foods tested.

Laboratory manager Manuel Dill is not alarmed by the result: “We tested with a very sensitive method.” This is how the listeria could be detected at all. To prevent the growth of such germs, he recommends storing ready-made salads in a cool place and consuming them quickly so that microorganisms cannot multiply.

As a result, Coop writes that the supplier carries out comprehensive checks for Listeria in its raw materials, processes and end products. These showed “that the legal microbiological requirements for the end product are met at the end of the consumption period.” Based on the test results from «Kassensturz», additional examinations of the end products would be carried out.

«In your random sample measurement, the guideline value for the aerobic mesophilic germs was slightly exceeded. This test result does not correspond to our regular internal analyses. Nevertheless, we take the result of your test as an opportunity to examine further optimization options with our supplier. Irrespective of this, our product is marketable and can be consumed without hesitation.”

Coop (Betty Bossi lettuce with hearts, Prix Guarantee Mixed Salad): “We take the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat salads and, in particular, listeria management very seriously. Deviations are dealt with as part of the comprehensive control concept and lead to adjustments to the control frequency and the processes.

Based on the results you reported, we have carried out extensive clarifications with our supplier: Aerobic mesophilic germs: The increased values for the products in question can be classified as qualitatively unobjectionable, taking into account the other measured values such as E. coli. The standard value can occasionally be exceeded, since the salads are natural products that are subject to seasonal and weather-related fluctuations.»

Denner (Mmmh Lettuce & Mmmh Rustico): “With regard to the aerobic mesophilic germs, we note that the products are regularly checked within our internal self-control and that we cannot confirm the analyzed values sent to us based on our own experience.”

Globus (Mixed Salad Noblesse): “The examined “Mixed Salad Noblesse” was examined within the shelf life and shows an increased occurrence of aerobic mesophilic germs slightly above the reference value, which should not occur. The aerobic mesophilic germs are a guide value, ie an indicator that gives an indication of possible process deviations. All values for pathogenic germs are good and therefore within the legal limit values.»

Spar (mixed lettuce & lettuce): “It is gratifying that all the pathogens examined are within the limit value, which shows that the washing process works in principle and that the product does not pose a health risk to the consumer. Exceeding the AMK value is probably due to the fact that there was still some soil in the product or the cold chain was broken. Further process optimizations from production to the sales shelf are being examined.»

Volg (Iceberg Lettuce with Hearts & Volg Mixed Salad): “As our suppliers informed us in their statements, it can happen in individual cases that certain microbiological standard values, such as with regard to aerobic mesophilic germs, are exceeded. A possible cause is that salads are natural products. They usually grow close to the ground and are not heated, so that they have a basic load of germs due to these natural conditions. Weather conditions and the season can have a strong influence on the raw material and, as a result, on the quality of the end product. Despite strict compliance with the highest quality standards, which are guaranteed by internal and external controls and certifications such as BRC, AIB/SQMS and IFS, it can happen that the standard values for aerobic mesophilic germs are exceeded. Our Swiss suppliers attach great importance to quality standards such as compliance with cold chains, incoming inspections including documentation and short storage times. As part of ongoing self-monitoring, the raw materials are also subjected to a risk-based microbiological test. The microbiological tests carried out in April and August on lettuce with hearts for AMK did not reveal any abnormalities – the standard value was always complied with.”