Environmental factors (such as the proximity to farms), access of domestic and wild animals to vegetable growing areas, the use of contaminated water for irrigation or contaminated equipment are among the factors that cause contamination of carrots and bulb and stem vegetables - such as onion and garlic - with Salmonella, Yersinia, Shigella and Norovirus.

These are some of the findings of a scientific opinion on risk factors that contribute to the contamination of carrots and bulb and stem vegetables at different stages of the food chain.

EFSA’s experts recommend that producers use good agricultural, hygiene and manufacturing practices to reduce contamination.

Because of a lack of relevant information, EFSA could not assess the suitability of microbiological criteria at primary production or during processing of bulb and stem vegetables and carrots.