Parasitological analysis of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), kale (Brassica oleracea var. viridis), carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) samples commercialized in open-air markets in the municipality of Itumbiara, Goiás, Brazil

Abstract

Parasitological contamination of vegetables sold in open-air markets poses a significant public health risk, especially in regions with poor sanitary practices. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of evolutionary forms of intestinal parasites in samples of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), kale (Brassica oleracea var. viridis), carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus), and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) sold in the municipality of Itumbiara, Goiás, Brazil, in June 2025. A total of 48 samples of raw vegetables were collected from three different markets and subjected to washing, spontaneous sedimentation (Lutz method), and centrifugation (Craig method), followed by microscopic analysis. The results indicated higher contamination in leafy vegetables, particularly lettuce (mean of up to 25.5 parasites per sample) and kale (mean of up to 11.75), followed by carrot and tomato. Cysts of Giardia lamblia and eggs of Ascaris lumbricoides were identified, in addition to occasional findings of Entamoeba coli, Enterobius vermicularis, and Hymenolepis nana. Markets with higher population flow and inadequate practices of exposure and handling exhibited the highest parasitic loads (P<0.05). It is concluded that vegetables displayed without proper hygienic and sanitary control facilitate the transmission of parasites, highlighting the necessity for health education initiatives, the use of protective packaging, and effective inspection to ensure the microbiological safety of foods sold in these environments.