Table 1.

Selected parasites and possible food‐borne transmission pathways

Parasite	Food group	Possible food‐borne transmission pathway
Cryptosporidium spp.	Fresh produce (fruit, vegetables and herbs that are eaten raw and have not been processed or preserved)	Faeces of infected animals/humans during cultivation; splash‐up from rain may assist in spreading contamination Contaminated water used under cultivation (spraying, irrigation, etc.) Infected handlers during any stage of the production process Contaminated washwater during processing prior to packaging and sale
	Fruit and vegetable juice	Faeces of infected animals (including humans) during cultivation of the crop (including contaminated water used for irrigation, spraying etc.) and possibly by contaminated water used for dilution Infected handlers during any stage of the production process
	Dairy products	Faeces of infected animals during milking Infected handlers during any stage of the production process
	Molluscan shellfish	Filtration of contaminated seawater during growing (filter feeding) Cross‐contamination during depuration Infected handlers during any stage of the preparation process
	Meat	Faeces/intestinal content of infected animals contaminating the environment and meat surface at the abattoir during slaughter Infected handlers during any stage of the production process
Toxoplasma gondii	Fresh produce (fruit, vegetables and herbs that are eaten raw and have not been processed or preserved)	Faeces of infected felids during cultivation and possibly by contaminated water used for irrigation, spraying, etc., splash‐up from rain may assist in spreading contamination, cross‐contamination via washwater
	Fruit and vegetable juice	Faeces of infected felids during cultivation of the crop (including contaminated water used for irrigation, spraying, etc.)
	Dairy products	Transfer of tachyzoites to milk of lactating infected mammals such as goats
	Molluscan shellfish	Filtration of contaminated seawater during growing (filter feeding) Cross‐contamination during depuration
	Meat	As all warm‐blooded animals may be infected, and predilection sites are varied and include muscle, etc., all meat that is not adequately treated (e.g., frozen, cooked, etc.) prior to consumption has the potential to transmit Toxoplasma
Echinococcus spp.	Fresh produce (fruit, vegetables and herbs that are eaten raw and have not been processed or preserved)	Faeces of dogs, foxes and other canids during cultivation or, for wild‐picked produce under growth, and possibly by contaminated water used for irrigation, spraying, etc., and cross‐contamination via washwater; splash‐up from rain may assist in spreading contamination
	Fruit and vegetable juice	Faeces of infected canids during cultivation of the crop (including contaminated water used for irrigation, spraying, etc.) and possibly by contaminated water used for dilution