Microbial risk associated with the domestic preparation of lentils
The study aimed to estimate the health burden associated with the consumption and
domestic preparation of lentils in France and Hungary. These countries were chosen to
study lentil consumption due to their similar cooking practices (hot and cold dishes)
and representation of two different supply chains. France reflects a supply chain that
both produces and imports, whereas Hungary is a mostly importing country.
Food handling and cooking practices can be vulnerable to microbial risk. The domestic
preparation of dried lentils is done by batch cooking, the leftovers are stored in the
refrigerator until finished, that could be a source of contamination. In particular,
Bacillus cereus may be present in both hot dishes (soup, stew) and cold dishes (mixed
salad); Listeria monocytogenes may be present in cold dishes due to recontamination
in the refrigerator and/or kitchen. However, the study demonstrated for the time being
low risk for the consumer under proper lentil consumption practices.
The study highlights the necessity of including the assessment of microbiological risk
before recommending new diets. Indeed, in France and Hungary, legume consumption
is encouraged as part of the “healthy plate”. In the future, with more consumption
and/or new consumption patterns, the risk associated with lentil might be no longer
negligible.
This research demonstrates the added value of quantitative microbiological risk
assessment in determining the public risk associated with a food product. Not only it
estimates the microbial risk under current consumption, but also it promotes good
consumer practices that can help minimise risks.
Future-Proofing Food: Transforming Risk Analysis for a better and more adaptive food system
Ongoing | 2022-2026
- Main funding source
- Horizon Europe (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Greece, Austria, France, Ireland, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, Austria, United Kingdom