Risk Assessment of Salmonellosis from Consumption of Alfalfa Sprouts and Evaluation of the Public Health Impact of Sprout Seed Treatment and Spent Irrigation Water Testing
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition U.S. Food and Drug Administration College Park MD USA
- Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition U.S. Food and Drug Administration Bedford Park IL USA
Abstract We developed a risk assessment of human salmonellosis associated with consumption of alfalfa sprouts in the United States to evaluate the public health impact of applying treatments to seeds (0–5‐log 10 reduction in Salmonella ) and testing spent irrigation water (SIW) during production. The risk model considered variability and uncertainty in Salmonella contamination in seeds, Salmonella growth and spread during sprout production, sprout consumption, and Salmonella dose response. Based on an estimated prevalence of 2.35% for 6.8 kg seed batches and without interventions, the model predicted 76,600 (95% confidence interval (CI) 15,400 – 248,000) cases/year. Risk reduction (by 5 ‐ to 7‐fold) predicted from a 1‐log 10 seed treatment alone was comparable to SIW testing alone, and each additional 1‐log 10 seed treatment was predicted to provide a greater risk reduction than SIW testing. A 3‐log 10 or a 5‐log 10 seed treatment reduced the predicted cases/year to 139 (95% CI 33 – 448) or 1.4 (95% CI <1 – 4.5), respectively. Combined with SIW testing, a 3‐log 10 or 5‐log 10 seed treatment reduced the cases/year to 45 (95% CI 10–146) or <1 (95% CI <1 – 1.5), respectively. If the SIW coverage was less complete (i.e., less representative), a smaller risk reduction was predicted, e.g., a combined 3‐log 10 seed treatment and SIW testing with 20% coverage resulted in an estimated 92 (95% CI 22 – 298) cases/year. Analysis of alternative scenarios using different assumptions for key model inputs showed that the predicted relative risk reductions are robust. This risk assessment provides a comprehensive approach for evaluating the public health impact of various interventions in a sprout production system.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Biological Systems Science Division
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0014664
- OSTI ID:
- 1417121
- Alternate ID(s):
- OSTI ID: 1417122; OSTI ID: 1625932
- Journal Information:
- Risk Analysis, Journal Name: Risk Analysis Vol. 38 Journal Issue: 8; ISSN 0272-4332
- Publisher:
- Wiley-BlackwellCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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