Journal of Food Quality and Hazards Control

134-145

Authors: B.K.K.K. Jinadasa; S.W. Fowler

Numerous studies have shown growing information indicating the contribution of food to the dietary exposure of arsenic (As) through consumption of different food items in many different regions over the world. However, few review papers with regard to As in Sri Lankan foods are available in databases. Thus, a critical review and assessment of a number of local studies on total As concentrations has been made in rice, fish and fisheries products, vegetables, and other food products from Sri Lanka. From a limited comparison of freshwater fish with two marine species, the tuna and rays have substantially higher total As concentrations than all the freshwater species analyzed. One of the more important findings is that rice, the staple food of the country, is a major contributor to total As exposure of the population. Hence, based on the assessment of available data for total As levels in the various foods analyzed, it is suggested that a shift in a staple food diet of rice to one of maize and multi-cereal grains could lead to a reduction in total As exposure to the general population. Furthermore, important information gaps were identified such as a total lack of corresponding data for total As in Sri Lankan fruit crops, and a major one being the present lack of any information on the various inorganic and organic As species in local foods. Finally, some suggestions are made for giving guidance in agricultural practices which will lead to a reduction in As inputs to the local farmlands. This data compilation and assessment serves as an initial baseline for comparison with As results from future monitoring and research studies in Sri Lanka.

153-161

Authors: A. Dalir Ghaffari;A. Dalimi

Background: Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a common parasitic disease, affecting almost one-third of the world’s population. It is transmitted by ingestion of food or water contaminated with oocysts excreted by cats and the consumption of raw or undercooked meat from ruminants. This study aimed at molecular characterization of T. gondii in native cattle from West of Tehran, Iran. Methods: A total of 180 samples were collected from the cattle diaphragms (n=80) and heart muscles (n=100) from multiple slaughterhouses. The nested Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay was carried out to amplify the GRA6 gene of T. gondii. The PCR-Restriction Fragment Length Polymerase (PCR-RFLP) assay was also performed on positive samples, using Tru1I (MseI) restriction enzyme. Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS (v.15.0). Results: T. gondii was found in 38 out of 180 (21.1%) samples. The infection rate in heart muscle samples(16.66%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the diaphragm samples (4.44%). The PCR-RFLP pattern by MseI enzyme showed that 13 (7.22%) samples were genotype II, while 25 (13.88%) were genotype III, having statistically meaningful difference (p<0.05). No genotype I was found in the studied isolates. Conclusion: Based on our findings, the frequency of T. gondii was high in the study area. Therefore, educational programs need to be implemented in order to inform people about the risks of raw or undercooked meat consumption.

168-173

Authors: E.J. Hougbenou Houngla; A. Gbankoto; C.D. Tossougbo Hinson

Background: The vegetables provide important nutrients to human beings. Nevertheless, contaminated vegetables can cause health problems because of their microbial load. The aim of this study was to assess the microbial quality of three main leafy vegetables cultivated and consumed at Porto-Novo in Republic of Benin. Methods: Totally, 36 samples of amaranth, nightshade, and lettuce were taken from three districts of Porto-Novo at urban gardening level. The samples were tested microbiologically according to international standards for determination of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total coliforms, faecal coliforms, Clostridium perfringens, faecal streptococci, and Salmonella spp. The results were analyzed using SPSS software v. 16.0. Results: In total, aerobic mesophilic bacteria counts in leafy vegetables ranged from 4.42×105 to 1.08×106 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g. The highest and lowest total coliform loads were found in lettuces (3.21×103 CFU/g) and the nightshades (1.78×102 CFU/g), showing significant (p<0.05) difference. Faecal streptococci load ranged from 1.01×103 to 3.18×103 CFU/g and was significantly (p˂0.05) higher in amaranths than in lettuces and nightshades. C. perfringens ranged from 0.633×101 to 1.18×101 CFU/g. Salmonella spp. was absent in all vegetables. Conclusion: High microbial contaminations were found in the three leafy vegetables in urban gardening at Porto-Novo, Benin. So, it is necessary to improve the microbial quality of leafy vegetables farmed at Porto-Novo for reduction of health risk in consumers.

179-186

Authors: R. Guzzon; S. Schiavon; T. Roman

Background: Malga cheeses are made in artisanal and seasonal dairies located in the Alps. This study was carried out to determine microbial diversity and sensorial properties of Malga cheese from Trentino (Italy) after long-term ageing period. The effects of adding the Fermalga Bacterial Pools (FBP) on microbiota biodiversity of cheese were also evaluated. Methods: Populations of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB), mesophilic/thermophilic lactobacilli, mesophilic/thermophilic lactococci, coliforms, Enterococcus sp., and Streptococcus sp. was evaluated by plate count in 38 cheese samples after 6 and 16 months of ageing. Sensorial analysis of cheeses was performed by a panel of 30 expert judges. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using STATISTICA v. 8.0. Results: The total microbial count of medium-aged (6 months) cheeses was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of long-aged (16 months) cheeses. Coliforms as well as Staphylococcus sp. were not detected in all samples. Thermophilic LAB were the relevant (45%) population in cheese made by FBP; while mesophilic LAB, mainly lactobacilli were the relevant (87%) population in the non-inoculated cheeses. The sensorial scores of 16 months-aged cheeses were significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of 6 months samples. However, there was no significant (p>0.05) difference between sensorial scores of Fermalga and non-Fermalga cheeses. Conclusion: The protection of traditional fermented foods can occur by innovative technologies, making them safe without altering their typical features. This preliminary investigation on the characteristics of Alpine Malga cheeses showed that the addition the FBP had no undesirable effect on the organoleptic characteristics of the cheeses.