Naslov
Screening report from Osijek region: Vegetables as a source of parasitic contamination

Autori
Marček, Tihana ; Roksandić-Križan, Ivana ; Ižaković, Maja ; Zlosa, Tihana ; Banjari, Ines

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
1st Croatian Congress of Biosafety and Biosecurity with international participation - Book of Abstracts / Markotić, Alemka - Zagreb : CROATIAN SOCIETY FOR BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY, 2017, 1-1

Skup
1st CROATIAN CONGRESS ON BIOSAFETY AND BIOSECURITY with international participation (CROBiB)

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 07.12.2017. - 09.12.2017

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Međunarodna recenzija

Ključne riječi
Vegetable, Osijek region, cysts of Giardia lamblia, cysts of Entamoeba sp., health risk

Sažetak
Vegetables are considered as one of the key dietary characteristic related to prevention of a number of health conditions that affect life expectancy and life quality, from cardiovascular diseases, diabetes to colorectal cancer. Vegetables are important source of dietary fibers, minerals (magnesium and potassium) and vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C and folate) and a well-balanced diet should include at least three portions of vegetables per day. However, fresh vegetables are at the top of the list of potential sources of contamination by pathogens. The aim of our study was to determine the safety of frequently consumed vegetables from three different locations from Osijek region, Eastern Croatia involved in the preparation and distribution of meals. For parasitological determination, 26 samples of different vegetables were examined between February and June 2017. The following vegetables were tested: cabbage, leek, kale, kohlrabi, leaves of parsley, spring onion, carrot, radish, lettuce and chard. 150-200 g of fresh vegetables (25-100 g of green onion and leaves of parsley) were cut into small pieces, stored in plastic bags, washed with 200 mL of physiological solution by addition of few drops of Tween 80 and left for sedimentation for 24 h at room temperature. Ten millilitres of the sediment were taken, centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 3 min and supernatant was decanted. For the microscopic analyses, 50 µL of the sediment was stained by lugol solution. Each sediment was examined in three repetitions. Cysts of protozoa were detected in 15.38% of the examined vegetables. Positive samples were lettuce and kale. In lettuce the percentage of contamination was 66.67% while kale had 50.00% contamination level. In positive samples cysts of Entamoeba sp. (11.54%) and Giardia lamblia (3.85%) were found. Two cysts of Entamoeba sp. were detected in lettuce, and in kale one cyst of Entamoeba sp. and one cyst of G. lamblia. Considering the time frame of the study, the number of cysts started to increase by the end of the study period. Two Entamoeba sp. cysts were detected in March and May, while in June one G. lamblia cyst and one Entamoeba sp. cyst. According to the results we can conclude that the consumption of vegetables, especially in a form of fresh salads of leafy vegetables (lettuce or kale) carries significant health risk for the consumers.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Javno zdravstvo i zdravstvena zaštita, Biotehnologija, Nutricionizam

POVEZANOST RADA