Potential microbial risk factors related to soil amendments and irrigation water of potato crops

8 pages, 2 tables, 3 figures.

[Aims]: This study assesses the potential microbial risk factors related to the use of soil amendments and irrigation water on potato crops, cultivated in one traditional and two intensive farms during two harvest seasons.

[Methods and Results]: The natural microbiota and potentially pathogenic micro-organisms were evaluated in the soil amendment, irrigation water, soil and produce. Uncomposted amendments and residual and creek water samples showed the highest microbial counts. The microbial load of potatoes harvested in spring was similar among the tested farms despite the diverse microbial levels of Listeria spp. and faecal coliforms in the potential risk sources. However, differences in total coliform load of potato were found between farms cultivated in the autumn. Immunochromatographic rapid tests and the BAM's reference method (Bacteriological Analytical Manual; AOAC International) were used to detect Escherichia coli O157:H7 from the potential risk sources and produce. Confirmation of the positive results by polymerase chain reaction procedures showed that the immunochromatographic assay was not reliable as it led to false-positive results.

[Conclusions]: The potentially pathogenic micro-organisms of soil amendment, irrigation water and soil samples changed with the harvest seasons and the use of different agricultural practices. However, the microbial load of the produce was not always influenced by these risk sources. Improvements in environmental sample preparation are needed to avoid interferences in the use of immunochromatographic rapid tests.

[Significance and Impact of the Study]: The potential microbial risk sources of fresh produce should be regularly controlled using reliable detection methods to guarantee their microbial safety.

The authors are grateful to CICYT (project AGL2004-03060) and to European Commission IRRIQUAL (FP6-2004-FOOD-3B) for financial support. A. Allende is indebted to the MEC (Juan de la Cierva contract, JCI-2004-000718) and M.V. Selma to CSIC (I3P contract, I3PDR-7-01).

Peer reviewed