On November 17, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said an E. coli outbreak linked to eating bagged organic carrots has sickened 39 people in 18 states, including 15 hospitalizations and one death. It is reported that the carrots were sold by a California-based company, which has recalled the organic carrots sold in bags.
The E coli infection caused by carrots has caused people to panic about food. So, why do carrots have excessive E. coli? It is often associated with contamination during growth, harvesting, transportation, processing and storage. E. coli is a common indicator of pathogenic microorganisms, and excessive levels of E. coli indicate that food may be contaminated by fecal matter or improper hygiene. Here are the main reasons why carrots may have excessive E. coli:
1. Farmland environmental pollution
· Irrigation water pollution: Using contaminated river water, lake water, or raw sewage to irrigate carrots can cause E. coli contamination. The pathogens in the water source may come from the surrounding livestock wastewater or domestic sewage.
· Organic fertilizer contamination: Organic fertilizers that have not been adequately fermented, especially those containing animal manure, may carry large amounts of E. coli bacteria and directly contaminate carrots.
· Soil contamination: E. coli can also spread in soil where carrots are grown, if contaminated by animal waste or rainwater runoff.
2. Pollution in harvesting and processing
· Unhygienic manual operation: During harvesting, cleaning and sorting, if workers do not pay attention to personal hygiene, do not wear gloves or cleaning tools are unclean, it may lead to surface contamination of carrots.
· Cleaning contaminated water: Using water contaminated with E. coli to wash carrots may exacerbate contamination. This is especially common when cleaning recycled water or reusing water sources.
· Processing equipment pollution: If the sorting machine, cutting machine, packaging machine and other equipment passed by the carrot in the processing process are not cleaned and disinfected in time, it is easy to become the source of cross-contamination.
The excessive E. coli in carrots is mainly caused by fecal contamination or substandard hygiene during cultivation, processing, transportation and storage. This situation can be effectively prevented by optimizing planting and processing conditions and strengthening hygiene control. At the same time, consumers should also pay attention to cleanliness when handling and eating carrots to reduce health risks.
Can E. coli be killed by ultraviolet light (UV)?
Ultraviolet (UV) sterilization can effectively eliminate E. coli. Ultraviolet sterilization, especially in the UVC band (200-280 nm), achieves its bactericidal effect by destroying the DNA and RNA structure of microorganisms, preventing them from multiplying and surviving. The following are the applicability, conditions and precautions of ultraviolet sterilization for E. coli:
Effectiveness of ultraviolet sterilization against E. coli
Fast and effective:
· UVC light can inactivate E. coli in a short time, usually a few seconds to a few minutes to achieve the effect. The bactericidal efficiency is directly related to the intensity and irradiation time of ultraviolet rays.
Direct contact sterilization:
· Ultraviolet light can only act on the area directly irradiated, and it is necessary to ensure that there is no barrier (such as dirt, impurities) on the eliminated surface, otherwise it will affect the sterilization effect.
Leave no residue:
· Ultraviolet sterilization does not require the use of chemical agents, will not leave any residue, suitable for high safety requirements of the occasion, such as drinking water treatment, food surface disinfection.
Conclusion
Ultraviolet light is an effective tool that can be used for the rapid sterilization of E. coli, especially for the needs of surface and water treatment sterilization. During operation, ensure that the irradiation is uniform, combined with cleaning and other sterilization means can further improve the effect. If applied to food or drinking water, it needs to be professionally designed and regulated to ensure the safety and thoroughness of disinfection.
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Shenzhen Hechuang Hitech CO., LTD. is a National High-tech Enterprise, which has won a number of invention patent technology awards. We focuses on the Research, Development, Production and Application of INNEST UVC-LED Technology. It adopts innovative technologies of revolutionary optics and fluid science, which can kill bacteria and viruses in 0.2 seconds, with a sterilization rate of 99.999%. Hechuang Hitech provides safer, more efficient and more humanized sterilization module design for Water Air and Surface Disinfection products.
