status of such productswas undertaken in the UK during 2004. According to EC Recommendation 2004/24/
EC and European Spice Association specifications, 96% of 2833 retail samples and 92% of 132 production
batches were of satisfactory/acceptable quality. Salmonella spp. were detected in 1.5% and 1.1% of dried
spices and herbs sampled at production and retail, respectively. Overall, 3.0% of herbs and spices contained
high counts of Bacillus cereus (1%, 105 cfu g1), Clostridium perfringens (0.4%, 103 cfu g1) and/or
Escherichia coli (2.1%, 102 cfu g1). Ninety percent of samples examined were recorded as being ‘readyto-
use’, 96% of which were of satisfactory/acceptable quality. The potential public health risk of using spices
and herbs as an addition to ready-to-eat foods that potentially undergo no further processing is therefore
highlighted in this study. Prevention of microbial contamination in dried herbs and spices lies in the
application of good hygiene practices during growing, harvesting and processing from farm to fork, and
effective decontamination. In addition, the importance of correct food handling practices and usage of
herbs and spices by end users cannot be overemphasised.