**1.1 Fresh produce production in the state of Sinaloa**

One of the main activities in Sinaloa is the agriculture. Sinaloa state is located at the northwest of Mexico (27° 7´-22° 20´N, 105° 22´-109-109° 30´O) (Figure 1) with a population of 2,767,761 people (INEGI, 2011).

Fig. 1. Location of Sinaloa state.

During the agricultural season of 2006, Confederación de Asociaciones Agrícolas del Estado de Sinaloa (CAADES: Confederation of Agricultural Associations of the State of Sinaloa) reported a total agricultural surface of 1,267,636 ha and a total production worth \$1,711,816 USD. Tomato is the most important fresh produce for Sinaloa; from 1980 to 2006, CAADES reported a total of 719,383 ha for red tomato production and profits of \$3,098,412 USD, while for green tomato only 130,980 hectares were destined for its production, obtaining profits of \$306,662 U.S dollars. In the international trade, the production of tomato favors Mexican economy of America, with a total export of 298,292 t (Figure 2) and profits of \$279.7 million USD during the agricultural season of 2008-2009 (Figure 3) (CIDH, 2011).

programs that must be implemented in order to avoid the presence of both pesticides and

One of the main activities in Sinaloa is the agriculture. Sinaloa state is located at the northwest of Mexico (27° 7´-22° 20´N, 105° 22´-109-109° 30´O) (Figure 1) with a population of

During the agricultural season of 2006, Confederación de Asociaciones Agrícolas del Estado de Sinaloa (CAADES: Confederation of Agricultural Associations of the State of Sinaloa) reported a total agricultural surface of 1,267,636 ha and a total production worth \$1,711,816 USD. Tomato is the most important fresh produce for Sinaloa; from 1980 to 2006, CAADES reported a total of 719,383 ha for red tomato production and profits of \$3,098,412 USD, while for green tomato only 130,980 hectares were destined for its production, obtaining profits of \$306,662 U.S dollars. In the international trade, the production of tomato favors Mexican economy of America, with a total export of 298,292 t (Figure 2) and profits of \$279.7 million

USD during the agricultural season of 2008-2009 (Figure 3) (CIDH, 2011).

pathogens on the final product (SAGARPA, 2011).

2,767,761 people (INEGI, 2011).

Fig. 1. Location of Sinaloa state.

**1.1 Fresh produce production in the state of Sinaloa** 

Fig. 2. Total horticultural production expressed in tons from 2008 to 2009 in Sinaloa state. Data from Committee for the Research and Defence of Vegetables, CIDH, 2011.

Fig. 3. Global value of horticultural exports from 2008 to 2009 in Sinaloa state expressed in Million USD. Data from CIDH, 2011.

*Salmonella* Saintpaul Outbreak: Export and Trade Economic Impact 211

Fig. 4. Distribution and number of infected cases with *Salmonella* Saintpaul, in the United

Tripticase Soy Broth (3x TSB) (Bioxon, México), modified semi-solid Rappaport Vassiliadis (Difco, USA) and XLD agar (BIoxon, México) as pre enrichment, enrichment and selective isolation, respectively. The homogenized sample was diluted and distributed in 3 sets of 3 tubes each. Once inoculated the tubes were incubated at 37°C during 24 h. After incubation, aliquots were transferred to modified semi-solid Rappaport Vassiliadis (Difco, USA) and incubated at 42°C during 24 h. This process was done by triplicate. Finally a loop of the inoculated semi-solid medium was transferred to the XLD agar (Bioxon, México), which was incubated at 37°C during 24 h to identify presumptive colonies presenting round morphology, black central pigment and a well-defined

States (CDC, 2008).

The commercial relationship between Sinaloa state producers and the United States, is given in great majority for the exportation of Mexican fresh produce, which are extensively and carefully produced under strict guidelines of GAP and GMP, to prevent the misuse of pesticides and the presence of pathogens (SENASICA, 2011). As evidence of that, among the different foodborne outbreaks occurred in the United States of America, none of them had been associated to fresh produce grown in fields of Sinaloa.
