Polish Journal of Microbiology 2014, Vol. 63, No 2, 237–243 ORIGINAL PAPER * Corresponding author: R. Khalil, Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt; phone: +2-01008194996; fax: +2-03-3911794; e-mail: rowaida_georgia@hotmail.com Introduction Consumption of leafy greens (a popular and an indispensable component of the daily menus of Egyp- tians’ diet) have recently increased because of the demand for nutritious foods that ensures sufficient intake of vitamins, minerals, fibers and phenolic com- pounds with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties (Olaimat and Holley, 2012; Sharma and Kumar, 2013). Derived from the eastern kitchen, leafy greens are rou- tinely consumed as salads, appetizers, spices, or even just as a garnish, and ofen eaten raw without any heat treatment (Tamberar et al., 2006). Leafy green category of fresh produce are considered as secondary crops in Egypt, and ofen cultivated in relatively limited areas, and in many cases along irrigation canals and in unused spaces (Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, 2011). In spite of their nutritional values, conventional leafy greens are generally exposed to microbial contam- ination through many points in the production system (Rajvanshi, 2010). Consequently, there is a correspond- ing likelihood that consumers are prone to infections by enteric pathogens (Itohan et al., 2011). Hot climate and environmental conditions (such as dusty streets crowded by vehicles) in Egypt favor bacterial growth in leafy greens sold either by street vendors or at retail local markets. Organic foods is a small but a growing part of the food industry in Egypt, and its existence provides an element of consumer choice being safer (Adl et al., 2011) and respectful to the environment (Falguera et al., 2012). Tere is a concern that they may contain higher levels of pathogenic bacteria than conventional produce, due to increased use of manure rather than chemical fertilizers (Loncarevic et al., 2005). However, there is little scientific evidence to support this concern. Te presence of E. coli (normally not pathogenic to humans) in fresh produce not only refects fecal contamination (Ilic et al., 2008; Ibrahim et al., 2009), but also indicates a possibility that other potential pathogens associated with fecal contamination could be ingested and capable of causing infections (Chang et al., 2013). Foodborne illnesses are not considered serious health threats in Arab countries and typically go Evaluation of the Microbiological Quality of Conventional and Organic Leafy Greens at the Time of Purchase from Retail Markets in Alexandria, Egypt ROWAIDA KHALIL 1, * and MOHAMED GOMAA 2 1 Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt 2 Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Saba Basha, Alexandria University, Egypt Submitted 5 October 2013, revised 19 November 2013, accepted 15 April 2014 Abstract Tis is a pioneer study in Egypt that provides some assessment of the microbiological quality of conventional and organic leafy green vege- tables that constitute an essential component of the Egyptians’ daily diet. A total of 380 samples of unpackaged whole conventional and 84 packaged whole organic leafy greens were collected from retail markets in Alexandria, and analyzed for total aerobic mesophilic count (AMC) and total E. coli count (ECC) using the standard spread plate method. Mean AMC values for organic samples were statistically less (p<0.05) than those of the corresponding conventional samples. Conventional radish and organic parsley samples had the highest AMC of 7.17 and 7.68 log CFU/g respectively, while conventional green cabbage and organic basil had the lowest AMC of 3.63 and 3.23 log CFU/g respectively. Te presence of E. coli in 100% of the studied leafy greens was indicative of potential fecal contamination, in view of open and unhygienic environmental and unsanitary handling conditions, as leafy green items are available for sale by street-vendors. Unsatisfactory AMC and ECC levels encountered in the studied samples, warrant future investigations to determine the potential prevalence of foodborne pathogens, and to identify sources of dominating microorganisms, which could make a contribution to the field of food safety. K e y w o r d s: Aerobic counts, E. coli, leafy green vegetables, microbiological quality, organic produce