SHIELDING BANGLADESH'S EXPORTABLE BETEL LEAVES: MANAGING E. coli AND Salmonella CONTAMINATION

The study examined the presence of E. coli and Salmonella spp. in soil, water, and mature betel leaf samples at preharvest stages across three upazilas in Kushtia district: Kushtia Sadar, Mirpur, and Daulatpur, although these pathogens do not typically affect betel leaf and other fresh vegetables. Researchers tested the samples before and after sanitization with calcinated calcium (CCa) from May to September 2020. They collected soil, water, and betel leaf samples from 15 farmers' fields, and initially, all samples were contaminated with E. coli and Salmonella spp. After sanitization, E. coli contamination persisted in a few samples: 22.22% in Sadar, 28.89% in Mirpur, and 35.56% in Daulatpur, while Salmonella spp. was eradicated. Potential contamination vectors included dogs (86.67%), birds (77.78%), and cats (59.26%). In Dhaka, betel leaves from the central pack house showed significant contamination differences post-washing. Before washing, 51.67% of leaves had E. coli and 41.50% had Salmonella spp. After three washes with CCa, contamination was completely eliminated for both pathogens. The study highlights the effectiveness of CCa in reducing microbial contamination but also points out the need for better contamination control strategies and training for farmers to mitigate vector-related contamination. This comprehensive study highlights the effectiveness of CCa in reducing microbial contamination in betel leaf production and underscores the need for ongoing management to mitigate recontamination risks from environmental vectors.