Myzus persicae (Hemiptera: Aphididae) infestation increases the risk of bacterial contamination and alters nutritional content in storage Chinese cabbage.

Aphids are common insect pests that feed on and excrete feces/honeydew on storage vegetables, especially in the temperate region of the northern hemisphere. The honeydew of aphids is an excellent growth medium for microorganisms. To explore the effects of aphid infestation on the risk of microbial contamination and food safety, the bacterial diversity and community in aphid honeydew were investigated, the nutritional components of the cabbage were analyzed, and the safety was evaluated.The results showed that the dominant bacteria in storage Chinese cabbage under different exposure times belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria, family Enterobacteriaceae. The richness of Enterobacteriaceae increased from 36.35% (1 day) to 39.70% (5 days) and to 50.74% (10 days) as the exposure time increased. Serratia was the genus with the highest abundance (23.38% of 1 day, 30.56% of 5 days, and 37.85% of 10 days). The abundance of pathways associated with Staphylococcus aureus infection and Shigellosis increased significantly after prolonged storage. In addition, when the aphid density increased from 0 to 100 per 250 g Chinese cabbage leaves, the protein content in Chinese cabbage decreased significantly, while the reducing sugar content increased significantly.These results revealed that the honeydew excreted by the green peach aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) on storage Chinese cabbage can serve as a medium for some foodborne disease pathogens. This study may provide both a theoretical and practical basis for vegetable storage to reduce the risk of foodborne pathogen infection and maintain the balance of nutrients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.