Deliverable JRP18-WP3-T6-Contamination of vegetables for human consumption by Em/Eg

A total of 1,120 lettuce samples but also 69 from other vegetables (mainly parsley, spinach and chard) were collected during the summers 2020-2021 from local markets, producers, kitchen gardens and supermarkets with around 50-100 samples collected by each partner which realized the first washing step of the filtration method. The sequential sieving and molecular detection were realized at the Anses to assure homogenous assays and the correct limit of detection which was estimated at 3 eggs in 95% of the cases and 2 and 1 eggs in 75% and 50% of the cases, respectively. When possible pools of two lettuces from the same origin were realized. Considering Em endemic areas, the proportion of Em positive lettuce samples was 1.1%, while it was 2.1% for Eg sl considering all areas (Table X). Additionally, other Taenidae species were detected in 2.4% of the samples mainly Hydatigera sp. and T. hydatigena. This is the largest epidemiological study ever conducted on contamination of vegetables by Em and Eg which will contribute to the understanding of foodborne transmission.