Microbial risk and health burden associated with the domestic preparation of lentils in France and Hungary

Lentils are promoted as an alternative protein source due to their agricultural and nutritional benefits. However, information on the microbial risks associated with lentil consumption in domestic settings is limited. The countries of France and Hungary were selected to represent the lentil consumption in two different supply chains. Bacillus cereus was identified as a pathogen of concern in both hot and cold dishes, whereas Listeria monocytogenes was only identified in cold dishes. A probabilistic model accounting for uncertainty and variability was constructed, estimating the microbial concentration at subsequent stages of domestic handling: cooking, cooling, and 24–96 h of chilled storage. The number of foodborne illness cases and daily adjusted life years (DALY) were estimated at the point of consumption.

The results were analysed at each stage; for example, at 96 h, B. cereus showed mean values of 2.52 [1.75; 4.12] log CFU/g in France and 2.03 [1.24; 3.56] log CFU/g in Hungary. For Listeria monocytogenes, the mean estimates were lower at 0.48 [−0.20; 1.16] log CFU/g in France and 0.69 [0.07; 1.36] log CFU/g in Hungary. The overall number of foodborne illness cases from both pathogens was computed based on the consumption frequency. They were estimated to be 0 [0–44] cases per 100,000 in France and 0 [0–5.8] in Hungary.

The uncertainty intervals are relatively large, reflecting uncertainty in the estimates, meaning that the risk is not an absolute zero. Moreover, it is likely that dietary shifts towards less meat consumption, as promoted by various institutions, will occur. Extended batch cooking practices can pose an additional risk of foodborne illnesses in the future.