Abstract: Previous empirical evidence has demonstrated that low-socioeconomic status (SES) communities have higher rates of gastroenteritis; however, there is a paucity of literature on the safety and quality of food (fresh produce) accessible to these communities. The overarching goal of this study was to investigate the microbial safety and quality of romaine lettuce from low- and high-SES neighborhoods in the Houston, TX, area. Loose-leaf romaine lettuce was purchased from low- and high-SES neighborhood retailers, and aerobic plate count, coliform, Escherichia coli, yeast, and mold assays were conducted. In addition, enrichment was performed on all samples for Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7, and reverse transcriptase PCR analysis was carried out. The results showed that E. coli, coliform, yeast, and mold were present in significantly higher counts (P < 0.05) in produce obtained from low-SES neighborhoods compared with high-SES neighborhoods. The reverse transcriptase PCR results showed that 38% of samples from high-SES areas were positive for S. aureus versus 87% of samples from low-SES areas. None of the samples from high-SES areas were positive for the other pathogens. The samples from low-SES areas were positive for E. coli O157:H7 (4%), Salmonella spp. (53%), L. monocytogenes (13%), and S. aureus (87%). These results demonstrate a significant disparity in the quality and safety of romaine lettuce accessible to low- versus high-SES populations. Future studies can be designed to identify the specific cause of this challenge by investigating the food supply chain.
Keywords: Food deserts; Food insecurity; Fresh leafy greens; Pathogens; Socioeconomic disparities; Spoilage microorganisms.
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