Abstract
Objective: This study deals on the hygienic quality of lettuce commercialized in the city of Teresina, Piauí, by small horticulturists and supermarkets. Methods: In the period of January to April 2016aleatory samples of lettuce were collected in community horticulture yards and supermarkets and, then, taken to the Laboratory of Parasitology of Federal Institute of Piauí for parasitological analysis, following the modified methodology of Hoffman, Pons, and Janer. The positivity of the samples was confirmed by visualization of evolutive forms of enteroparasites in one of the tests. Results: The rate of contamination by parasitary forms was 66.5% (21/32) of the samples analyzed, being 64.7% (11/17) and 66.5% (10/15) for supermarkets and community horticulture yards respectively. The protozoa found were the commensals Endolimax nana, Entamoeba coli, Iodamoeba butschlii, and the pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica/díspar, Giardia sp., and Eimeria sp. Among the helminths, Ascaris sp, Ancylostoma sp, and Strongyloides sp occurred. The presence of enteroparasites in lettuce points that hygienic-sanitary conditions along the productive chain is not satisfactory, increasing the risk of infection by the consumers. Conclusion: Lettuces commercialized in Teresina-PI are contaminated. Such data suggest that a better hygienization strategy should be taken for the consumption of lettuce by the population of the studied area.