Quantification of survival and transfer of Salmonella on fresh cucumbers during waxing

What is it about?

Cucumbers are waxed to improve visual appeal and retard moisture loss. This may affect bacterial survival and the waxing process may cause cross-contamination between cucumbers. We assessed survival of Salmonella on waxed and un-waxed cucumbers and Salmonella cross-contamination during the waxing process. Wax type did affect survival of Salmonella inoculated directly into waxes, with a significant decline in Salmonella populations observed in vegetable-based wax coating, but with populations unchanged over 7 days at 7 or 21 °C in mineral oil-based and petroleum-based waxes. Salmonella could transfer from inoculated un-waxed cucumbers to brushes used for waxing and then to un-inoculated cucumbers during waxing. Significantly higher transfer to brushes was observed when cucumbers were waxed with vegetable oil vs. mineral oil or petroleum. Salmonella on cucumbers after waxing could be detected for up to 7 days. Salmonella survived better on cucumbers treated with a petroleum-based wax.

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