Fate of Helicobacter pylori artificially inoculated in lettuce and carrot samples

Helicobacter pylori is known, worldwide, as the Causative agent of gastric diseases. However, its transmission route has not been completely understood. To evaluate the Survival of H. pylori (a clinical and a reference strain) artificially inoculated oil lettuce and carrot Samples, portions of 25 g were inoculated with approximately 10(6) CFU/g of H. pylori and packed under normal and/or modified atmosphere (3% oxygen, 10% carbon dioxide, and 87% nitrogen). The inoculated food samples were stored at 8 degrees C, with daily enumeration of H. pylori populations on Columbia blood agar(CBA) and/or Helicobacter pylori Special Peptone Agar(HPSPA). When CBA with antibiotics was used, the clinical isolate H. pylori HPI was detected for up to 72 h in sanitized lettuce and carrot. In sterilized carrot samples, H. pylori HPI remained viable for up to 96 h. The CBA without antibiotics allowed the recovery of H. pylori ATCC 43629, from carrot samples stored in both atmospheres tested, for up to 120 hours. Our results reinforce that foodborne transmission of H. pylori cannot be disregarded yet.