Analysis of the Efficiency of Sanitizers in Lettuce (Lactucasativa L. )

Today fresh vegetables are widely recommended as part of the daily diet. However leafy vegetables such as lettuce(Lactuca sativa L.) if not treated correctly can become a potential source of pathogenic microorganisms. Thus this work aims to evaluate the efficiency of three types of chemical sanitizers in eliminating and/or reducing the microbial load of Escherichia coli total coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus in lettuces sold in establishments located in the city of Castanhal Pará. Initially a microbiological diagnosis of lettuces marketed in five establishments located in Castanhal was performed in order to verify contamination by total coliforms thermotolerant coliforms and Sta phylococcus aureus. Based on the results obtained the efficiency of sanitizers was evaluated.