Bacterial Pathogen Survey in Ready-to-Eat Powdered Spices

Canadian Food Inspection Agency data details the prevalence of bacterial pathogens and hygiene indicators in 1,762 samples of ready-to-eat dried powdered spices. Over 99.9% of samples tested were satisfactory. The survey covers samples collected from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2021.

Use Cases

• Classify spice samples as satisfactory or unsatisfactory based on pathogen detection levels like Salmonella and E. coli.
• Analyze temporal trends in contamination rates across the three-year survey period.
• Model the relationship between specific spice types and the presence of bacterial indicator organisms.
• Benchmark national spice safety against the reported >99.9% satisfactory rate.

Strengths

• 1,762 analyzed samples provide a substantial sample size for statistical analysis.
• Clear temporal coverage from April 2018 to March 2021 for trend analysis.
• Data sourced from the authoritative Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Limitations

• Specific column names, detection limits, and sample metadata (e.g., spice type, brand) are unknown.
• The dataset is static, covering a specific three-year period with no ongoing updates.
• Geographic coverage is limited to Canada, limiting international generalizability.

Provenance

Source

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Collection Method

Laboratory testing of collected spice samples for bacterial pathogens and indicators.

Time Range

April 1, 2018 to March 31, 2021

Freshness

Final report for a closed survey period; data is not updated.

Geography

Canada