Journal of Food Quality and Hazards Control

162

Authors: Editorial

This article has no abstract.

170-174

Authors: G. Akduman, I. Omurtag Korkmaz

Background: Herbal teas are produced and sold in packaged or unpackaged forms all over the world. The aim of this study was microbial evaluation of Turkish herbal teas before and after infusion in boiled water. Methods: A total of 20 packaged and unpackaged samples of Turkish herbal teas, including chamomile, salvia, green, mix, apple, mate, ginger, linden, fennel, and senna tea were collected. All of the samples were analyzed before and after infusion in hot water (~100 °C). Microbiological analyses were performed with tenfold serial dilution for yeast-mold, Salmonella, and Cronobacter sakazakii after enrichment by using the spread-on-plate method on selective agar. Data were statistically analyzed by using Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2013 Excel software. Results: Three out of the 20 tea samples (15%) were contaminated with C. sakazakii. None of the samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp. No significant difference was found in occurrence of C. sakazakii before and after infusion of the samples (p>0.05). Mold and yeast contamination were found in 12 out of 20 teas samples (60%). No statistical significance (p>0.05) was found between the mold-yeast contents of the unpackaged and packaged herbal teas. After infusion, neither mold nor yeast was observed in any of the samples. Conclusion: All of the herbal teas in this research were found to be within the microbiological limits for consumption according to Turkish Food Codex. However, the microbiological results highlighted the need for quality control of senna tea during production to eliminate the risk of C. sakazakii contamination.

181-187

Authors: G. Eslami, S. Peletto, M. Vakili, S. Kargar

Background: Sarcocystosis is one of the most distributed parasitic diseases over the world, caused by Sarcocystis spp. In this study, we assessed the effect of electron beam irradiation on the viability of Sarcocystis spp. in beef. Methods: Experimental beef groups were irradiated by four different electron beam doses of 1, 2, 3, and 4 kGy, at intervals of 0 and 24 h after irradiation, then the samples were transferred inside a sterile microtube containing RNAlater solution and stored at -20 °C till next steps. RNA extractions and cDNA synthesis were done using the related kit in order to detect the presence of the 18S ribosomal RNA region. Relative quantification was carried out using SYBR Green Real time Polymerase Chain Reaction. The statistical analysis was done using SPSS 16.0 by Tukey’s and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: Irradiation at zero time was not effective on viability of Sarcocystis, but at 24 h, irradiation doses of 3 (p=0.003) and 4 kGy (p=0.008) caused a significant reduction in Sarcocystis viability. Irradiation doses of 1 and 2 kGy had no significant (p>0.05) effect on Sarcocystis viability reduction. Also, no significant differences (p>0.05) were observed between irradiation doses of 3 and 4 kGy. Conclusion: Electron beam radiation at dose of 3 kGy was effective as the optimal dose for the elimination of Sarcocystis spp. in beef.

196-199

Authors: D. Bangieva, D. Stratev, T. Stoyanchev

Background: Histamine is an essential biogenic amine produced as a result of microbial decomposition of histidine during seafood processing and storage. The objective of this study was to evaluate histamine concentration in freshwater and marine fish marketed in Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria. Methods: Forty fish samples were purchased from local fish farms and retail stores in Stara Zagora, Bulgaria. Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay was used to determine histamine levels. The data were processed using GraphPad Software InStat 3. Results: Histamine was detected in 26 out of 40 (65%) samples, and none of them exceeded the regulatory limit of 200 mg/kg. The average histamine content in marine fish (6.965±3.187 mg/kg) was insignificantly (p>0.05) higher than that in freshwater fish (4.503±1.133 mg/kg). Conclusion: The results reveal low levels of histamine in freshwater and marine fish indicating their good quality. However, its presence in seafoods remains a major food safety problem that requires permanent regulation of histamine concentration in fish.