The prevalence of Campylobacter spp. in vegetables, fruits, and fresh produce: a systematic review and meta-analysis

There are a number of reports indicating correlation between outbreaks of campylobacteriosis and the consumption of raw vegetables. This study is a meta-analysis on the prevalence of Campylobacter in fresh vegetables and fruits without any location limitation, which was performed through a documented review of the available resources. Relevant literature was reviewed by trained reviewers, who examined the results for the inclusion of articles in the meta-analysis. The prevalence of Campylobacter in raw vegetables, the sample source, the Campylobacter species, and the method of detection were extracted. The prevalence of Campylobacter in vegetables, fruits, and fresh produce were estimated to be 0.53%. Analysis of the various sample groups initially showed that the bean and sprouts group was the vegetable with the highest prevalence of Campylobacter (11.08%). The rate of contamination was higher when both the molecular and conventional methods were employed. The highest prevalence of Campylobacter was found in Asia (33.4%). Despite the low prevalence, consumption of raw vegetables is inherently risky because no treatment is used to inactivate the pathogens. Therefore, proper sanitation methods are recommended to treat the raw products.