MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF SOME VEGETABLE SPECIES COMMERCIALIZED ON LOCAL AND SUPERMARKET MARKETS

Abstract

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of the human diet, providing essential vitamins, minerals and fiber and adding variety to the diet. In the Food Guide Pyramid, the US Department of Agriculture encourages eating 3-5 servings of vegetables and 2-4 servings of fruit per day (León J.S, 2009). The present study aims at microbiological analysis of frequently consumed vegetables. It was found that the highest loading was on cucumbers and lettuce and the lowest on peppers and tomatoes. Refrigerated storage for 7 days resulted in an increase in the number of microorganisms