Prevalence of Parasitic Contamination of Edible Vegetables in Isfahan, Iran Publisher

Summary: Are raw vegetables carrying parasites? Samples from 70 produce shops showed no pathogenic parasites in this local survey; chemical contaminants may still warrant attention. #FoodSafety #PublicHealth

Pourahmad M ; Nikokar F ; Tavakoli S ; Hejazi S H ; Yousefi A ; Aria A ; Momenzadeh M
Source: Journal of Preventive Epidemiology Published:2023

Abstract

Introduction: Today, the parasitic contamination of edible vegetables, which are usually consumed raw, is one of the important issues of human societies. Parasitic contamination has been repeatedly identified in previous studies on edible vegetables. Due to the changes in farmers’ behavior regarding the use of fertilizers for agricultural land fertility over recent years, some changes have certainly happened in the contamination level of these crops, which are investigated in this study. Objectives: The present study seeks to examine the changes in the infection of vegetables caused by the use of chemical fertilizers as an alternative to animal and human excretion for the fertilization of cultivatable soil. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using the descriptive cross-sectional method in Isfahan, Iran. In this regard, 70 samples from 10 types of edible vegetables, including leek, basil, mint, spring onion, radish, parsley, lettuce, cress, tarragon, and coriander, were prepared from 70 vegetable shops of the city. Each sample was placed in a separate bag and evaluated after washing, centrifugation, sedimentation, and staining. Eventually, the results were reported as descriptive statistics. Results: None of the prepared samples were contaminated with the pathogen parasite in the present study. Conclusion: Due to the change in farmers’ behavior concerning fertilization of agricultural products, it seems that the parasitic contamination of these products has lowered, and it is necessary to focus on other contaminants of these products, such as chemicals. © 2023 The Author(s).