Table 1.
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 |