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Review
. 2023 Jun;103(8):3761-3765.
doi: 10.1002/jsfa.12259. Epub 2022 Oct 19.

Prevalence of helminths in fresh vegetables: a narrative literature review

Lívia Maria da Costa Dantas  1 , Cláudio Márcio de Medeiros Maia  2 , Karla Suzanne Florentino da Silva Chaves Damasceno  2   3 , Larissa Mont'Alverne Jucá Seabra  2   3 , Gabriela Chaves  4 , Cristiane Fernandes de Assis  1   2 , Francisco Canindé de Sousa Júnior  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Prevalence of helminths in fresh vegetables: a narrative literature review

Lívia Maria da Costa Dantas et al. J Sci Food Agric. 2023 Jun.

Abstract

The consumption of fresh vegetables is related to healthy lifestyle habits present in culinary preparations in different regions. The presence of pathogenic parasites in these foods can cause gastrointestinal disorders. Thus, the objective of the present study was to carry out a narrative review of the literature on the prevalence of helminths in fresh vegetable samples. The analysis of the studies published from 2016 to 2022 showed that hookworms and Ascaris lumbricoides are the most common pathogenic helminths in fresh vegetable samples, with a prevalence of up to 73.8% and 55.1%, respectively. In addition, studies have shown associations between the presence of helminths and pathogenic protozoa. The results obtained in this review indicate the urgent need to implement actions at all stages of the vegetable production chain, from the water used in planting irrigation to cleaning before sale to the final consumer. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Keywords: food safety; foodborne diseases; intestinal parasite contamination; leafy vegetables.

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References

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