For both basil and coriander, in total 300 samples of fresh-cut leaves were delivered to our laboratory on a weekly basis as freshly packed fresh- cut leaves the same day as they were packed. Samples were transported to the laboratory on ice in a cool box, stored a 4"Cand 12"Cfor respec tively coriander and basil(basil being cold-sensitive) and subjected to microbial analysis within 5 h of receipt.