Can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta? (5+ prevention practices)

In this article, we answer the following question: “Can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta?” and discuss how can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta, how to prevent getting food poisoning from fresh pasta, how to know if fresh pasta is spoiled and what is the shelf life of fresh pasta.

Can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta?

Yes, you can get food poisoning from fresh pasta. Fresh pasta is a high-moisture food with a relatively high pH value, which favours microbial development. 

Although fresh pasta usually contains food preservatives and undergoes thermal processes to improve its safety, it is a food product with a short shelf life of a few days and must be refrigerated at all times (1, 2, 3). 

Episodes of food poisoning due to the ingestion of fresh pasta products were reported in the scientific literature related to the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella enteritidis, Bacillus cereus and others.

How can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta?

The possible ways of getting food poisoning from fresh pasta are (1, 2, 3, 4):

Contamination from the ingredients: Pasta is usually produced with wheat flour, eggs and water. These ingredients can carry microorganisms, mainly Bacillus cereus from the flour, in the form of spores, which can start growing as soon as the conditions are favourable, that is, as soon as the moisture increases.

Salmonella species often originate from the added eggs and can survive improper cooking of the pasta or result from cross-contamination due to poor cooking practices and inadequate hygienic conditions.

Staphylococcus aureus can also be carried by the eggs. During storage of fresh pasta, this bacteria can produce a thermostable toxin that causes nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain when ingested.

Poor storage conditions: After cooking the fresh pasta, it should be stored in the refrigerator within 2 hours to avoid the overgrowth of microorganisms. The storage at room temperature favours the germination of spores from Bacillus cereus and the growth of this bacteria, which produces a toxin that causes poisoning.

Too-long storage of cooked pasta can also lead to food poisoning by the toxin from Bacillus cereus, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

How to prevent food poisoning from fresh pasta?

To prevent poisoning from fresh pasta, it is necessary to have improved cooking practices and to use fresh ingredients, when preparing fresh pasta at home.

When purchasing fresh pasta, it is necessary to buy products with an adequate package and shelf life, to properly store fresh pasta, and to consume the fresh pasta within its shelf life.

In addition, you should be aware of the signs of spoilage in fresh pasta and avoid consuming the product with signs indicating spoilage.

Some important safety recommendations are (1, 2, 3): 

  • Avoid consuming expired fresh pasta.
  • Avoid handling raw food with cooked food items to prevent cross-contamination.
  • Cook according to the recommendations, and avoid insufficient cooking.
  • Refrigerate cooked fresh pasta as soon as possible.
  • Refrigerate cooked fresh pasta to a temperature of 40 °F (4 °C) or freeze cooked pasta and consume it according to the recommended shelf life.
  • Check the fresh and cooked pasta for signs indicating spoilage and avoid consuming spoiled pasta.

How to know if fresh pasta is spoiled?

To know if fresh pasta is spoiled, look for the possible signs of spoilage, which include (2, 4):

Presence of off-odours and off-flavours related to sour, “fruity”, fermented, alcoholic, acetone-like, rancid, bitter or yeasty. Off-flavours and off-odours are generally related to the spoilage caused by microorganisms.

The formation of a slimy and ropy texture or the generation of gas indicates the spoilage caused by yeasts or lactic acid bacteria.

Discolourations can indicate spoilage, in addition to the growth of moulds.

What is the shelf life of fresh pasta?

The shelf life of fresh pasta can vary depending on many factors, such as the ingredients used, the temperature of storage and the addition of preservatives, such as potassium sorbate or ascorbic acid to improve the shelf life (1, 2, 3, 4).

However, homemade pasta has a shelf life of 2 days and fresh pasta has a short shelf life of about 3 days when no additive is added and up to a month when additives are used, or when modified atmosphere packages are used. It is necessary to follow the expiry date of the manufacturer (4).

Other FAQs about Pasta that you may be interested in.

Can you bake fresh pasta without boiling first?

Can you eat 4 day old pasta?

the pasta from absorbing all the sauce?

Conclusions

In this article, we answered the following question: “Can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta?” and discussed how can you get food poisoning from fresh pasta, how to prevent getting a food poisoning from fresh pasta, how to know if fresh pasta is spoiled and what is the shelf life of fresh pasta.

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References

1.-

Zardetto S, Basaglia M. Growth of Staphylococcus aureus and enterotoxin production in fresh egg pasta. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 2018 Sep;42(9):e13753.

3.-

Rajkovic A, Uyttendaele M, Dierick K, Samapundo S, Botteldoorn N, Mahillon J, Heyndrickx M. Risk profile of the Bacillus cereus group implicated in food poisoning. Report for the Superior Health Council Belgium. 2008 Jun 1;1:1-80.

4.-

Cook FK, Johnson BL. Microbiological spoilage of cereal products. Compendium of the microbiological spoilage of foods and beverages. 2009:223-44.