Table 1.
Populations and frequencies of aerobic-mesophilic bacteria (AMB), total coliforms (TC), and fecal coliforms (FC) on RTE-salads and RTE-sprouts samples.
| Microorganisms group | Minimum | Median | Maximum | Frequency (%) | Number of samples out of the 093 guideline* (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RTE-salads from SPMa | |||||
| AMB | 3 | 4.9 | 6.6 | 50 (100) | 21 (42) |
| TC | <3 | 56 | >1100 | 46 (92) | NA |
| FC | <3 | <3 | 210 | 7 (14) | 2 (4) |
| RTE-salads from SVSa | |||||
| AMB | 3 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 50 (100) | 38 (76) |
| TC | 3 | 1100 | >1100 | 50 (100) | NA |
| FC | <3 | 1.5 | >1100 | 25 (50) | 6 (12) |
| RTE-sprouts from SPMa | |||||
| AMB | 6.1 | 7.4 | 8 | 50 (100) | NA |
| TC | 6.1 | 460 | >1100 | 50 (100) | NA |
| FC | <3 | 3.3 | >1100 | 29 (58) | NA |
| RTE-sprouts from SVSa | |||||
| AMB | 6.1 | 7.3 | 8.8 | 50 (100) | NA |
| TC | 26 | 1100 | >1100 | 50 (100) | NA |
| FC | <3 | 23.5 | >1100 | 40 (80) | NA |
a n = 50. Minimum, median, and maximum values are in log10 CFU per g for aerobic-mesophilic bacteria and in most probable number (MPN) per g for total coliforms and fecal coliforms. SPM: supermarkets, SVS: street-vendor stalls, and NA: not applicable (there is no official guideline for this food).
*Guideline that establishes that food samples should contain up to 5.17 log10 CFU per g (150,000 CFU/g) of AMB and up to 100 MPN/g of FC.