Journal of Food Quality and Hazards Control

163-169

Authors: P. Mbiri, B. Mushonga, C. Madzinga, O. Madzingira, A. Samkange, E. Hikufe, E. Kandiwa, J.A. Kamwi

Background: Meat inspection is one of the essential tools for ensuring good quality and safe meat. The objective of this study was to evaluate carcass condemnation of cattle slaughtered in Oshana region, North of Namibia. Methods: In this 4-year retrospective study, causes, patterns, and economic implications of carcass condemnation of cattle slaughtered in Oshana region, North of Namibia were evaluated based on post-mortem inspection procedure. The SPSS software version 25 was used for statistical analysis. Results: Overall, 0.37% (120 out of 32 648) beef carcasses were condemned during the period of this study. The major causes of condemnation of carcasses were bruising (60 out of 120; 50%), followed by pus contamination. The condemnation rate in female cattle (65%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than male cattle (35%). Overall, a significantly greater number (p<0.05) of carcasses were condemned in summer (74.2%) than in winter (25.8%). Conclusion: This study identified bruising, pus contamination, and cachexia as the major causes of bovine carcass condemnation in North of Namibia and showed that carcass condemnation rate varied with the year, season, and age.

175-180

Authors: D.W. Lukman, D.Y. Sari, H. Pisestyani

Background: Kebab is one of the popular ready-to-eat foods in Indonesia and sold as a street food. The purpose of this study was to determine occurrence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli in street-vended kebab in Dramaga, Bogor, Indonesia. Methods: Totally, 43 samples of kebab meat were collected from street food kebab vendors. Examinations on Total Plate Count (TPC), and total E. coli using Most Probable Number (MPN) method were referred to the Indonesia National Standard. The antibiotic resistance test was carried out using the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Results: The mean of TPC in kebab samples was 5.3 log10 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g. Based on TPC, 13 out of 43 (30.2%) of kebab samples did not comply with the Indonesia National Standard with maximum acceptable level of 5 log10 CFU/g. E. coli was identified in 5 out of 43 samples (11.6%) with mean of 39.2 MPN/g ranged from 7.4 to 150 MPN/g which were higher than standard level (0.5 log10 CFU/g). Four out of 5 E. coli isolated from kebab samples were resistant to gentamycin. All E. coli isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin/clavulanate and chloramphenicol. Conclusion: The occurrence of antibiotic resistant E. coli in ready-to-eat kebab in this area of Indonesia could cause the health problem in consumers. The local government should conduct the monitoring and surveillance on the occurrence of pathogens and the antibiotic resistance in food chain.

188-195

Authors: N. Momtaz Bokharaei, M.M. Soltan Dallal, M.R. Pourmand, Z. Rajabi

Background: Among the bacteria that cause food poisoning, Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most common causes of food poisoning worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of S. aureus strains in Iranian hamburgers, analysis of their antibiotic resistance pattern, and molecular detection of mecA gene in isolated strains. Methods: A total of 100 Iranian handmade (traditional) and packaged (factory-made) hamburger samples were investigated for the existence of S. aureus. The pattern of antibiotic resistance and the presence of mecA genes were investigated by disk diffusion and molecular methods, respectively. Data were statistically analyzed by SPSS software v. 24. Results: The prevalence of S. aureus isolated in handmade hamburgers was significantly (p=0.008) higher than packaged ones. Most of 39 isolated S. aureus strains were susceptible to ciprofloxacin (31 isolate), chloramphenicol (27 isolate), and trime-thoprim/sulfamethoxazole (37 isolate). The highest antibiotic resistance was observed for penicillin G followed by oxacillin and tetracycline. All isolates were found susceptible to vancomycin and gentamicin. Six S. aureus isolates which were evaluated for methicillin-resistance, contained the mecA gene. Conclusion: The high presence of the S. aureus in Iranian hamburgers and the remarkable antibiotic resistance emphasize the need for policies which enforce hygienic practices within the food industry and fast food outlets.

200-204

Authors: M.S. Hosseini, H. Fallahzadeh, S.S. Hosseini

Background: Genetically Modified (GM) foods are produced using genetic engineering. This survey attempted to identify the presence of GM rice varieties among some imported rice samples in Iran. Methods: From May to July 2016, a total of 50 samples of the imported rice to Iran were obtained, including 20 bulk rice samples from Bandar Abbas custom, Southern Iran and 30 retail rice samples from some commercial brands sold in the local markets of Yazd, Iran. Polymerase Chain Reaction was used to assess the GM varieties. Results: None of the studied rice samples had the target genes related to GM products. Conclusion: This study indicated no evidence for presence of GM rice among some bulk and retail imported rice samples in Iran. Since marketing of GM rice is not legally permitted in Iran, more comprehensive studies must be designed with higher sample size in various provinces of country to achieve more detailed data about situation of GM rice in the Iranian markets.

116-118

Authors: V. Ranaei, Z. Pilevar, H. Hosseini

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128-135

Authors: R. Omari, G. Anyebuno

Background: Complementary foods are given to infants when breast milk alone becomes insufficient in meeting their nutritional needs. The major objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of Aflatoxins (AFs) in Weanimix complementary foods purchased from shops in Accra (Ghana), and to estimate risk of liver cancer development in infants. Methods: In total, 32 samples of Weanimix were purchased from shops in Accra, an urban centre and analyzed for AFs by Reverse-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC). Previously published data on levels of AFs in Weanimix prepared in rural households were also collected. The data was analyzed to estimate infants’ daily exposure to AFs as well as the risk of liver cancer development. Results: AFs levels of 18.8% of samples were above the maximum permitted limit of 10 µg/kg. The minimum and maximum levels of total AFs detected in all samples were 2.51 and 98.87 µg/kg, respectively with a mean value of 16.43 µg/kg. Exposure assessment showed that the minimum and maximum daily AFs exposures were 0.044 and 2.805 µg/kg bw/d, respectively for Weanimix from rural households; these rates for Weanimix purchased from urban shops were 0.014 and 0.55 µg/kg bw/d, respectively. The chances of liver cancer development would increase to 0.6 per year if infants were fed on Weanimix prepared in rural households with minimum AF level of 7.9 µg/kg. Conclusion: The infants fed on Weanimix prepared in rural households would be at a higher risk of AF exposure and liver cancer development than infants fed on Weanimix purchased from urban shops of Ghana.

142-148

Authors: R. Banda, J. Nduko, J. Matofari

Background: Some microorganisms can adhere to food handling surfaces forming biofilms that pose a safety challenge. This study was done to evaluate bacterial biofilm formation in milking equipments in Lilongwe, Malawi. Methods: Pooled milk (n=54) and water (n=60) samples were collected from households and milk bulking groups in Lilongwe, Malawi. Swabbing (n=46) and rinsing (n=16) were done on milk handling containers after cleaning. Biofilm determination on the containers was done by detecting biofilm indicator bacteria, including Bacillus spp., Salmonella spp., and Pseudomonas spp. The strength of biofilm was determined by the tube method. Data were analyzed by SAS software version 9.1.3. Results: Prevalence rates of Gram-negative rods were significantly (p<0.05) higher than the Gram-positive rods and the Gram-positive cocci. Of the 176 cases,contamination rates were 36 (20.4%), 32 (18.2%), and 18 (10.2%) for Salmonella spp., Bacillus spp., and Pseudomonas spp., respectively. The biofilm indicator organisms were significantly (p<0.05) more prevalent in dairy farmer households compared with the milk bulking centers. Fourteen out of 86 (16.3%) microbial isolates formed strong/high biofilms, whereas 18 out of 86 (20.93%) of isolates did not form any biofilm. The rate of isolates forming strong/high biofilms in households (17.6%) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of milk bulking centers (11.1%). Conclusion: Biofilm formation on milk handling container surfaces in Lilongwe, Malawi could serve as a source of microbial pathogens and spoilage organisms.

157-161

Authors: S. Lasram, Z. Hamdi, A. Ghorbel

Background: Ochratoxin A (OTA) and Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are toxic secondary metabolites produced by certain mold species. In this primarily survey, we examined the OTA and AFB1 contamination of pearl millet grains distributed in Tunisia. Methods: Twenty-five pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) samples from different regions of Tunisia were analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with fluorescence detector in order to evaluate the contamination with of AFB1 and OTA. Statistical tests were performed with XLSTAT 2018. Results: AFB1 and OTA were detected in 32 and 28% millet samples, respectively. Mean amounts of these mycotoxins in the contaminated samples were of 24.54±17.54 µg/kg for OTA and 22.72±23.09 µg/kg for AFB1. Approximately, 28 and 24% of analyzed samples were found above the European Union limits for AFB1 and OTA, respectively. The estimated daily intake of OTA and AFB1 were 3.76 and 3.89 ng/kg b.w. per day, respectively. No significantly (p>0.05) difference in OTA and AFB1 contamination rate was found between samples taken from different regions. Conclusion: Consumption of millet in Tunisia might be an important contributing factor to the risk of dietary exposure to OTA and AFB1.

2-3

Authors: E. Ahmadiara

This article has no abstract.

11-17

Authors: S.I. Gómez-Covarrubias, F. Rivera-Cabrera, J.I. Mendoza-Gastelum, V.H. Oidor-Chan, R.C. Aarland, F. Cruz-Sosa, F. Díaz de León-Sánchez, J.A. Mendoza-Espinoza

Background: The xoconostle (Opuntia joconostle Web.) plant is produced mainly in the Central Highlands region of Mexico. The main aim of this research was to determine the effect of pasteurization on chemical and functional properties of xoconostle juice. Methods: Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA), total phenolic and flavonoid content, betacyanins, betaxanthins, and reducing and non-reducing sugars contents were determined in both unpasteurized and pasteurized xoconostle juices. In vivo assay using Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) was done in male rats to evaluate the anti-hyperglycemic effect of juice. Data were statistically analyzed using SigmaPlot. Results: There was a meaningful increasing (p<0.05) in the pigment contents after the pasteurization process, as betacyanins and betaxanthins contents increased to 0.112 and 0.096 µg/g, respectively. In spite of pasteurized xoconostle, the unpasteurized group showed anti-hyperglycemic effects at 60 min of OGTT. Conclusion: Pasteurization temperature had no adverse effect on the antioxidant activities of xoconostle fruit. Although fresh xoconostle juice revealed considerable anti-hyperglycemic properties in rats, this effect was not found in the pasteurized xo-conostle juice.

27-35

Authors: C. Cardamone, F. Cirlincione, R. Gaglio, V. Puccio, F. Daidone, S. Sciortino, I. Mancuso, M.L. Scatassa

Background: Consumption of raw cheese may be associated with different diseases. This study aimed to evaluate behavior of four pathogenic bacteria during manufacture and ripening of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) Pecorino Siciliano cheese. Methods: The experimental cheese groups were inoculated with pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli O157, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Enteritidis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The cheese making processes were monitored from milk curdling until 3 months ripened cheeses and the levels of Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and the four dairy pathogens were evaluated by plate counts. Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) analysis was applied to confirm that the colonies isolated during the several steps of production were the same strains added in milk. Statistical analysis was done using XLStat software. Results: The levels of mesophilic and thermophilic coccus and rod LAB in curd were comparable in both trials and reached values between 8-9 log10 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g in cheeses at 90 days of ripening. The four pathogenic bacteria were found in experimental curd at levels higher than those inoculated in milk and completely disappeared after 60 days of ripening. The RAPD analysis clearly demonstrated the presence of the added strain during production and confirmed the results of plate counts. Conclusion: This work showed that the production conditions of PDO Pecorino Siciliano cheese decreased growth of E. coli O157, L. monocytogenes, S. Enteritidis, and S. aureus.

45-50

Authors: W.P. Rahayu, D. Herawati, W. Broto, N. Indrotristanto, S. Ambarwati, W. Adhi

Background: Besides their mutagenic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic effects, Aflatoxins (AFs) also act as the main contributor to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) which is known as the most common primary liver cancer worldwide. The main aim of this study was risk estimation of HCC due to exposure to aflatoxins in maize from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Methods: As a model, maize samples were taken from Yogyakarta province, Indonesia. The present research was conducted by risk assessment approach which includes hazard identification, hazard characterization, exposure assessment, and risk characterization. The aflatoxin analysis was performed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography method and the secondary data was taken from the province report. Results: The mean total AF in raw material, dried maize chips, and fried chips were 46.58, 17.58, and 13.24 ppb, respectively. The raw material clearly had higher level of all AF types. The mean of contamination of total AF in raw material (46.58 ppb) exceeded the standard level (20 ppb), while the other products were not more than standard level. The yearly maximum exposure to AFB1 ranged from 85.07 to 92.80 ng/kg body weight per day. The estimation of HCC cases ranged from no case to 43 cases per year. Conclusion: Preventive hygienic efforts are needed to reduce AF contamination and risk of HCC in maize consumed in this region of Indonesia.

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.

82-92

Authors: V. Aredo, L. Velásquez, J. Carranza-Cabrera, R. Siche

Background: Hyperspectral image analysis is a fast and non-destructive technique that is being used to measure quality attributes of food products. This research investigated the feasibility of predicting internal quality attributes, such as Total Soluble Solids (TSS), pH, Titratable Acidity (TA), and maturity index (TSS/TA); and external quality attributes such as color components (L*, a*, b*) as well as Color Index (CI) of Valencia orange fruit using hyperspectral reflectance imaging in the range of 400-1000 nm. Methods: Oranges were scanned by the system in order to build full models for predicting quality attributes using partial least squares regression. Optimal wavelengths were identified using the regression coefficients from full models, which were used to build simplified models by multiple linear regression. The coefficient of determination of prediction (R2p) and the Standard Error of Prediction (SEP) were used to measure the performance of the models obtained. Results: Full models for internal quality attributes had low performance (R2p<0.3, SEP>50%). Full models for external quality attributes presented a high performance for L* (R2p=0.898, SEP=19%), a* (R2p=0.952, SEP=13%), b* (R2p=0.922, SEP=20%), and CI (R2p=0.972, SEP=12%). The simplified models presented similar performance to those obtained for external quality attributes. Conclusion: Hyperspectral reflectance imaging has potential for predicting color of oranges in an objective and noncontact way.

101-108

Authors: E. Dimitrieska-Stojkovikj, A. Angeleska, B. Stojanovska-Dimzoska, Z. Hajrilai-Musliu, D. Koceva, R. Uzunov, G. Ilievska, G. Stojković, D. Jankuloski

Background: Acrylamide (AA) is an important food contaminant resulted from Maillard reaction during thermal processing of carbohydrate rich food commodities. The present paper reports the data for the AA content in some types of thermally processed starch rich food, and assessment of dietary exposure for the population in North Macedonia. Methods: The AA level was determined employing modified and validated ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem quadrupole detector. A total of 160 samples divided in seven most frequently consumed commodity groups were collected for determination of their AA content. Finally, chronic exposure of AA in the population was estimated. Statistical analysis was performed applying OriginPro 8 SR4 v8.0951 software package Results: The average AA levels varied from 126.9±122.4 μg/kg for bread samples to 494.5±127.1 μg/kg for French fries samples. The dietary exposure of the population from North Macedonia for the tested food commodities was estimated at 0.643±0.171 μgAA/kgbw/day. The main contributor to the total AA intake was bread, with estimated value at 0.394±0.150 μgAA/kgbw/day. The margin of exposure values were 528 and 264, respectively for neurotoxicity and non-plastic effect calculated on average intake. Conclusion: The risk assessment analysis revealed increased concern for human health regarding the neoplastic effects, especially for infants, toddlers, and adolescents. This is the first study related to AA presence in different food commodities in North Macedonia, and implies that monitoring programs and mitigation strategies must be implemented.

115-120

Authors: M. Hossain, B.K. Dey

Background: Contaminated handmade street foods are often claimed to occur food-borne diseases, especially in developing countries. Therefore, considering the public health issue, this study was conducted to assess the microbial contamination of handmade sauce used by street food vendors in Jashore, Bangladesh. Methods: A total of 30 samples of Plum Sauce (PS) and Tomato Sauce (TS) were collected from Jashore district, Bangladesh. The quantitative microbial tests were done by dilution plate technique. Identification of particular bacterial group or species was performed using selective media. All the data related to microbial count were subjected to ANOVA test using SPSS version 21.0. Results: All the sauce samples contained viable Enterobacteriaceae cells; whereas 80% and 83.33% of the total samples were found to be contaminated with Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli, respectively. Total viable bacterial cells found in the samples ranged from 1.2×103 to 4.2×109 Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g. In addition, total Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli counts ranged from 30 to 2.0×107 and from 0 to 7.0×105 CFU/g, respectively. Although PS samples contained a higher amount of Enterobacteriaceae and E. coli compared to TS, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found. Conclusion: The consumption of street foods is of great concern in Bangladesh. Making the vendors aware of sanitary practices is too crucial that could be achieved through training of the vendors at the root level of the country. Furthermore, it is necessary to monitor the street foods frequently by the national authorities.

128-132

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

Background: Fluoroquinolones are among various antibiotic groups used in livestock husbandry. The aim of this screening study was to evaluate the presence of fluoroquinolone residues in fish samples of Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria. Methods: A total of 69 samples from freshwater, marine, and anadromous fish were collected randomly from fish farms and retail stores in Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria. Fluoroquinolone residues were determined using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay method. Data were statistically processed using STATISTICA 10.0 software. Results: Fluoroquinolones were detected in 44.3% of freshwater and 42.9% of marine fish samples, with no significant difference (p>0.05). Their concentrations varied from 1.03 to 271.73 μg/kg for common carp, 1.43 to 12.63 μg/kg for rainbow trout, 1.17 to 1.94 μg/kg for silver carp, 1.00 to 1.82 μg/kg for rudd and 1.27 to 2.15 μg/kg for striped catfish. Among marine fish, fluoroquinolone positive samples were found in European sprat (1.68 μg/kg), Longtail southern cod (1.30 μg/kg), and European hake (1.83 μg/kg). Conclusion: High levels of fluoroquinolones were found in some fish samples of Stara Zagora region, Bulgaria. Regular monitoring of antibiotic residues is too necessary in fish distributed in this region.