The Role of Pathogenic E. coli in Fresh Vegetables: Behavior, Contamination Factors, and Preventive Measures

Table 3

Escherichia coli strains associated with foodborne diseases and the factors involved for plant colonization.

Patotype	Serotype	Food outbreak year	Vehicle	Virulence factors involved in attachment to raw vegetables
EHEC	Sakai	1996	White radish sprout	T3SS (EspA) arugula; T3SS (lettuce and spinach); T3SS, curli, flagellum, Enterohemorrhagic E. coli common pilus (baby spinach leaves); Curli (alfalfa sprout); Biofilm sprouts and tomato root
	O157 : H7	1998	Lettuce
		1999	Lettuce
	O157 : H7	2006	Spinach; Iceberg lettuce
		2008 X2			Lettuce
		2008	Spinach
		2009	Spinach
		2011	Romaine lettuce
		2012	Spring mix and spinach
		2013	Ready-to-eat salad
	EHEC	O26	2012		Raw clover sprouts
O121		2014	Raw clover sprouts
O104 : H4			Fenugreek sprouts	Colonic acid capsule
ETEC		2008	Sprouts and tomato roots	Biofilm of 1,5-n-acetyl-D-glucosaminecellulose, cellulose, colonic acid, and curli
		2011	Lettuce and leafy vegetables	Flagella
EAEC				Flagellar adhesion and Afa I/II

References: [63, 69–79].