Parasites in conventionally planted curly lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) sold in supermarkets in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of parasitic organisms in crisp lettuce sold in supermarkets in Cuiabá, MT. Forty five samples of lettuce randomly collected in triplicate from three large supermarket chains (9 in company A, 27 in B and 9 in C), which were from five different suppliers called: F1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were analyzed. Samples were analyzed by two techniques for detection of parasitic organisms: spontaneous sedimentation and simple centrifugation. 66.7% of the samples
(30/45) showed contamination, comprising 182 types of parasite, of which there were 67 Ascaris sp., 1 Enterobius vermicularis egg, 33 eggs and larvae of Ancylostomídae, 4 larvae of Strongyloides sp. and 38 larvae of other unidentified nematodes. Among the protozoa detected, 23 were trophozoites of Balantidium, 10 Entamoeba cysts, 3 Endolimax nana cysts, 2 Giardia cysts and 1 Isospora oocyst. The eggs of Ascaris were found in samples from all supermarkets and suppliers. However, structures
such as Enterobius vermicularis eggs, Endolimax nana cysts and the oocyst of Isospora were detected only from suppliers F1 and F2, respectively. The highest percentage of positive samples involved helminths, apart from protozoa such as Blantidium. The presence of both helminths and protozoa suggests the occurrence of contamination during cultivation and/or distribution of this vegetable. We conclude that there is an urgent need to implement hygienic and sanitary measures to prevent the contamination of this vegetable and to preserve the health of its consumers.