Abstract
Mopane worm samples, obtained from different districts of the Limpopo Province of South Africa between April and July 2018, were investigated for the incidence of microbial flora. Over a period of ten weeks, samples consisting of market-obtained, field-prepared and sun- dried worms, were evaluated. It was revealed that after cooking at 89- 93°C, the microbial population was reduced to less than 9 000 CFU/g. The most prominent microbial populations cultured after cooking were spore- formers. Field-processed worms had a microbial population of 4 × 104 -1 × 108 CFU/g. Bacteria and fungi isolated included Aspergillus niger, Enterobacter aglomerans, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus and Penicillium sp. Total microbial population ranged between 4 × 105 and 3 × 105 CFU/g after cooking. Total bacterial count increased in the sun- dried worms from 3 × 105-4 × 105 CFU/g, while it decreased from 2.0 × 105-1.4 × 105 CFU/g after cooking. This data can be used to generate safety guidelines related to the processing of edible insects, such as mopane worms.
Highlights
Mopane worm samples, obtained from different districts of the Limpopo Province of South Africa between April and July 2018, were investigated for the incidence of microbial flora
Total bacterial count increased in the sundried worms from 3 × 105-4 × 105 CFU/g, while it decreased from 2.0 × 105-1.4 × 105 CFU/g after cooking
This data can be used to generate safety guidelines related to the processing of edible insects, such as mopane worms
Summary
Data from field-processed worms indicate that the total aerobic mesophilic count of the fieldprocessed mopane worms after cooking ranged from 3 000–9 000 CFU/g (Table 1). The materials left to dry in the field for a day had microbial populations in the range of 50 000–5 × 108. 0 0 0 20–2 × 108 0–1 000 000 100–2 000 Present aValues represent averages for 6 samples of field processed and 26 samples of market worms. Data from market-obtained worms show that the total aerobic counts (2 × 104–2 × 108 CFU/g) of the worms from the markets were similar to those of the worms from the field (Table 1). The population of the coliform group from the market was much higher than in field processed worms
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