Molecular Survey of Parasitic Contamination of Frozen Berries

Overview

Journal Pathogens

Date 2024 Oct 25

PMID 39452771

Authors

Alessandra Barlaam

Marialoreta Datteo

Stefania Perdono

Antonella Puccini

Annunziata Giangaspero

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Berries represent healthy dietary options and contain bioactive compounds associated with a decreased risk of diseases. Despite representing healthy food choices, these products can be contaminated by pathogenic microorganisms, including parasites. Among foodborne parasites, , , , , and are of significant public health importance and have been recently detected in fresh berries in Europe, including Italy. Berries can be purchased fresh or frozen, and it is worrying that even frozen berries could represent a risk for the consumer. In fact, several parasites can resist freezing temperatures and have been responsible for outbreaks of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of , , , , and in frozen berries with simplex and multiplex real-time PCR protocols. A total of 108 packages of mixed frozen berries were bought from supermarkets located in a south-eastern region of Italy. The samples were tested using two simplex real-time PCR protocols targeting and , respectively, and a multiplex real-time PCR targeting , , and . None of the investigated parasites were detected in the frozen berry samples tested. This research topic is still unexplored and of great current interest. These results represent a first attempt to investigate parasitic contamination of frozen berries sold on the Italian market, but further large-scale surveys are required.

References

Barlaam A, Temesgen T, Tysnes K, Rinaldi L, Ferrari N, Sannella A . Contamination of fresh produce sold on the Italian market with Cyclospora cayetanensis and Echinococcus multilocularis. Food Microbiol. 2021; 98:103792. DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2021.103792. View

Massolo A, Valli D, Wassermann M, Cavallero S, DAmelio S, Meriggi A . Unexpected infections in shepherd dogs and wolves in south-western Italian Alps: A new endemic area?. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl. 2018; 7(3):309-316. PMC: 6115541. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.08.001. View

FRENKEL J, Dubey J . Effects of freezing on the viability of toxoplasma oocysts. J Parasitol. 1973; 59(3):587-8. View

Fayer R, Nerad T . Effects of low temperatures on viability of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1996; 62(4):1431-3. PMC: 167911. DOI: 10.1128/aem.62.4.1431-1433.1996. View

Labello Barbosa R, Dias V, Pereira K, Schmidt F, Bueno Franco R, Guaraldo A . Survival in vitro and virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi in açaí pulp in experimental acute Chagas disease. J Food Prot. 2012; 75(3):601-6. DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-11-233. View

Tamarozzi F, Ronzoni N, Degani M, Oliboni E, Tappe D, Gruener B . Confirmed Autochthonous Case of Human Alveolar Echinococcosis, Italy, 2023. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024; 30(2):350-353. PMC: 10826761. DOI: 10.3201/eid3002.231527. View

Duhain G, Minnaar A, Buys E . Effect of chlorine, blanching, freezing, and microwave heating on Cryptosporidium parvum viability inoculated on green peppers. J Food Prot. 2012; 75(5):936-41. DOI: 10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-11-367. View

Temesgen T, Barlaam A, Tysnes K, Robertson L . Comparative evaluation of UNEX-based DNA extraction for molecular detection of Cyclospora cayetanensis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Cryptosporidium parvum as contaminants of berries. Food Microbiol. 2020; 89:103447. DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2020.103447. View

Ryan U, Hijjawi N, Feng Y, Xiao L . Giardia: an under-reported foodborne parasite. Int J Parasitol. 2018; 49(1):1-11. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.07.003. View

10.

Zorzi M, Gai F, Medana C, Aigotti R, Morello S, Peiretti P . Bioactive Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity of Small Berries. Foods. 2020; 9(5). PMC: 7278679. DOI: 10.3390/foods9050623. View

11.

Erickson M, Ortega Y . Inactivation of protozoan parasites in food, water, and environmental systems. J Food Prot. 2006; 69(11):2786-808. DOI: 10.4315/0362-028x-69.11.2786. View

12.

Jones J, Dubey J . Foodborne toxoplasmosis. Clin Infect Dis. 2012; 55(6):845-51. DOI: 10.1093/cid/cis508. View

13.

Tefera T, Tysnes K, Utaaker K, Robertson L . Parasite contamination of berries: Risk, occurrence, and approaches for mitigation. Food Waterborne Parasitol. 2020; 10:23-38. PMC: 7033989. DOI: 10.1016/j.fawpar.2018.04.002. View

14.

Temesgen T, Robertson L, Tysnes K . A novel multiplex real-time PCR for the detection of Echinococcus multilocularis, Toxoplasma gondii, and Cyclospora cayetanensis on berries. Food Res Int. 2019; 125:108636. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2019.108636. View

15.

Veit P, Bilger B, Schad V, Schafer J, Frank W, Lucius R . Influence of environmental factors on the infectivity of Echinococcus multilocularis eggs. Parasitology. 1995; 110 ( Pt 1):79-86. DOI: 10.1017/s0031182000081075. View

16.

Ho A, Lopez A, Eberhart M, Levenson R, Finkel B, da Silva A . Outbreak of cyclosporiasis associated with imported raspberries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2000. Emerg Infect Dis. 2002; 8(8):783-8. PMC: 2732521. DOI: 10.3201/eid0808.020012. View

17.

Eslahi A, Mamedova S, Nassiba R, Karanis P . Unveiling risks in healthy food: Vegetables and fruits are linked to the distribution chain of protozoan parasites. Food Microbiol. 2024; 123:104592. DOI: 10.1016/j.fm.2024.104592. View

18.

Alvi M, Alsayeqh A . Food-borne zoonotic echinococcosis: A review with special focus on epidemiology. Front Vet Sci. 2023; 9:1072730. PMC: 9807814. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1072730. View

19.

Zahedi A, Ryan U . Cryptosporidium - An update with an emphasis on foodborne and waterborne transmission. Res Vet Sci. 2020; 132:500-512. DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2020.08.002. View

20.

Barlaam A, Sannella A, Ferrari N, Temesgen T, Rinaldi L, Normanno G . Ready-to-eat salads and berry fruits purchased in Italy contaminated by Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia duodenalis, and Entamoeba histolytica. Int J Food Microbiol. 2022; 370:109634. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2022.109634. View