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Abstract
In this study, E-Pure water, 3% levulinic acid-3% sodium dodecyl sulfate, 1 M glycine, 0.1 M phosphate buffered saline, 0.1% Alconox, and 1% HCl-pepsin were evaluated for their effectiveness in recovering Cyclospora cayetanensis and Cryptosporidium parvum from basil. One hundred and 1,000 oocysts of both parasites were inoculated on top surfaces of basil leaves and stored for 1 h and 24 h. The samples were hand washed for 1 min with each of the wash solutions. DNA was then extracted and amplified using nested PCR. All wash solutions could detect both parasites oocysts at the concentration of 1,000 oocysts/25 g basil, with the recovery rates of 100%. At the concentration of 100 oocysts/25 g basil, the lowest and highest recovery rates observed were 18.5% and 70.4%, respectively. 1% HCl-pepsin showed a lower variability in recovering both parasites oocysts in the 24 h post-inoculation time at the 100 oocysts level.