Significant Difference In Microbial Counts Research Articles

Heavy Metal and Microbial Contaminants of Some Vegetables Irrigated With Goo Reservoir Water, Navrongo, Ghana

Globally, the safety of vegetables for consumption is becoming an increasing concern to consumers because of the risk associated with eating of vegetables contaminated with heavy metals and microbial organisms. An assessment of the extent of microbial contamination and also levels of heavy metals and the risk associated with the consumption of the vegetables irrigated with polluted Goo reservoir water in the Navrongo municipality was carried out. Site A used the channel flooding irrigation method whilst site B used watering cans for watering during the latter part of the dry season when the pressure of the water is low. A total of 128 vegetables samples were taken for microbial and heavy metals determination each. Samples of leafy vegetable and fruit vegetables were randomly taken from the two sites for microbial and heavy metal analysis. The reservoir was divided to North, South, East and West and water samples taken from each location. The concentrations of heavy metals in the reservoir exceeded the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) recommended levels of metals in water for irrigation. Site B recorded the highest microbial counts likewise heavy metal contaminants in the sampled vegetables. Levels of cadmium in the vegetables exceeded the World Health Organization/FAO permissible levels. Copper (Cu) had the highest concentration in both sites. Faecal Coliform (FC) levels in the vegetables were above the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Food (ICMSF) allowable limits. The high quantities of Total Coliform, Faecal Coliform, E. coli, helminthes eggs and salmonella contamination of the vegetables indicate high risk of getting diseases through the consumption of these vegetables. The hazard quotient of all the metals exceeded one in both sites except Zinc (Zn). The hazard index (HI) of heavy metals studied was above one in both sites, indicating they could have adverse health effect to human life. The analysis showed there was significant difference in microbial counts and levels of heavy metals in the vegetables in the two different sites. The consumers of these vegetables were at risk of contracting water-borne diseases like typhoid fever, cholera among others and also a high risk of heavy metal poisoning especially from cadmium.

Risk factors influencing contamination of customized cosmetics made on-the-spot: Evidence from the national pilot project for public health

Customized cosmetics made by consumers or sellers on-the-spot have several safety issues, and therefore require a preventative approach to their safety management. The present study aimed to identify potential factors affecting the safety of customized cosmetics made on-the-spot. Heavy metals and microbial contaminants in customized cosmetics were analyzed in 120 samples. It was revealed that the transfer of cosmetics to new containers during the production process is a significant risk factor for cross-contamination and that heat treatment is crucial for reducing the number of microorganisms in the products. For instance, cosmetics made with heat and with no transfer showed relatively low microbial counts ranging from not detected to 440 CFU/ml. The high pH (>pH 10) of samples did not guarantee the microbial safety of the freshly made cosmetics (with a rinse-off product having 2,830 CFU/ml and a pH of 11.2). There was no significant difference in microbial counts among cosmetic types (P > 0.05); however, semisolid types, especially creams and rinse-off products, were susceptible to contamination (maximum 2,710 and 2,830 CFU/ml, respectively). Most microorganisms in the customized cosmetics (40.8%) decreased to non-detectable levels during 60 days of storage. None of the samples harbored heavy metals. Sequencing analysis of isolates revealed some bacteria and mold that could cause human infections. The results of this study suggest that the regulation of customized cosmetics should consider the risk factors revealed in this study, as the products made on-the-spot are also final products sent directly to consumers.

Development of probiotic vegetable juice using Lactobacillus Rhamnosus GR-1

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to assess the growth and viability of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 (L. rhamnosus GR-1) in carrot juice (CJ), carrot apple juice (CAJ), carrot orange juice (COJ) and carrot beet juice (CBJ) over 72 h of fermentation and 30 days of refrigerated storage at 4°C. The secondary objective is to evaluate sensory properties.Design/methodology/approachFour vegetable juice samples were inoculated with the probiotic strain L. rhamnosus GR-1 and fermented for 72 h. To observe the samples’ storage ability, the samples were refrigerated for 30 days. Microbial enumeration was conducted throughout the fermentation and storage periods to determine the viability of L. rhamnosus GR-1. Sensory evaluation with 106 participants was also conducted to assess the consumer acceptability of the vegetable juices.FindingsAll tested samples achieved mean microbial counts of at least 109 CFU/ml. During the 72-h fermentation period significant differences in microbial counts in juices CJ (p = 0.001), CAJ (p = 0.031), COJ (p = 0.047) and CBJ (p = 0.001) were observed. Over the 30-day storage period, significant differences in microbial counts were only found in juices CJ (p = 0.001) and COJ (p = 0.019). A significant decline in pH (p = 0.001) was also observed during 72 h of fermentation and 30-days of cold storage. Sensory evaluation of all juices showed significant differences in sensory attributes such as appearance (p = 0.001), flavour (p = 0.001), texture (p = 0.001) and overall acceptability (p = 0.001). Sensory results showed that the probiotic CBJ and CJ had the highest hedonic scores for flavour, texture and overall acceptability (p = 0.001) among participants. This study demonstrated that non-dairy vegetable juices could be an alternative to dairy-based probiotic products.Originality/valueCommercially available probiotic dairy-based foods make up a large sector of the consumer market. However, the growing consumer interest in healthful eating has led to an increased demand for plant-based products. The probiotic L. rhamnosus GR-1 provides numerous therapeutic benefits, such as reducing the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis, yeast and urinary tract infections. The results of this study may have a significant influence on the health of individuals, especially in less economically developed countries.

Assessment of Periwinkle (<i>Tympanotonus fuscatus</i>) Found in Crude Oil and Non Crude Oil Contaminated Areas of Rivers State, Nigeria

The assessment of periwinkles (Tympanotonus fuscatus) found in crude oil and non-crude oil contaminated area of Rivers State evaluates the physiochemical (Heavy metal, proximate analysis and total petroleum hydrocarbon) and microbial quality of periwinkle samples. The results obtained showed mean Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon values were 0.149999 mg/kg, 0.314500 mg/kg, 0.709996 mg/kg and 0.16398 mg/kg, in Bodo, Cawthorne channel, Okrika and Emohua (control) samples respectively. Heavy metals in contaminated and non–contaminated samples ranged from 10.05-22.00 mg/kg Iron(Fe), 0.25-1.05 mg/kg Zinc (Zn), 0.06-0.23 mg/kg Nickel (Ni), 0.001-0.034 mg/kg Chromium (Cr), 0.003-0.02 mg/kg Cadmium (Cd), 0.0001-0.007 mg/kg Lead (Pb), 2.01-4.02 mg/kg Manganese (Mn) and 1.05-1.97 mg/kg Copper (Cu). The proximate analysis revealed protein, moisture, fiber, ash, lipid and carbohydrate contents of all samples ranged from 23.6-30.2%, 49.0 -60.4%, 2.5-12.3%, 5.0-7.2%, 1.4-3.4% and 2.5% respectively. Total bacterial count, ranged from 5.75x103-2.37x106 cfu/g in Raw and 2.02x103-1.49x106 cfu/g in Boiled samples, while the total fungal count ranged from 2.05-3.88x103 cfu/g and 1.42–2.0x103 cfu/g in the Raw and Boiled samples respectively.. There was a statistically significant difference in microbial counts between the Raw and Boiled samples from the contaminated sites when compared to the non-contaminated site as p<0.05. The organisms isolated in the study were Bacillus sp, Pseudomonas sp, Staphylococcus sp, Enterobacter sp, Citrobacter sp, Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Proteus sp, Micrococcus sp, E. coli, Aspergillius sp, Fusarium sp, Saccharomyces sp and Penicillium sp. Periwinkles though, nutritionally valuable had higher microbial load and harbored pathogenic microorganisms which could cause health effect if not properly cooked, the source of periwinkles should be monitored as increase in heavy metal content has toxic effect on health.

Influence of in-package cold plasma treatment on microbiological shelf life and appearance of fresh chicken breast fillets

The effect of in-package cold plasmas (CP) was studied on microbiological shelf life and surface lightness of fresh chicken fillets (pectoralis major). Chicken fillets were packaged in food trays in air or modified atmosphere (MA) gas (O2:CO2:N2 = 65:30:5) and stored at 4 °C after exposed to an in-package cold plasma (80 kV for 180 s) treatment. Populations of mesophiles, psychrophiles, and pseudomonas spp. were measured as indicators for microbiological shelf life and CIELAB L∗ values as an indicator for raw meat appearance. Results show that regardless of microbial type, there were no significant differences in microbial counts between the control and CP treated chicken fillets packed in air. However, in the MA packages, microbial counts were consistently lower than the non-treated control during refrigerated storage. Regardless of CP treatment, the microbial counts on the samples packed in air were much higher than in MA. They were more than 6 logs cfu/g in air compared to fewer than 4 logs cfu/g in MA after 7 d storage and fewer than 6 logs cfu/g after 14 d storage. Regardless of CP treatment and gas composition in package, there were no significant differences in the surface L∗ value between the fillets pre-treatment and those after storage at 4 °C. These results demonstrate that the effects of in-package CP treatments on microbiological shelf life of fresh chicken fillets depend upon headspace composition in packages. When fresh chicken fillets are packed in air, CP treatment has no effect on microbiological shelf life. MA packages with high O2 and CO2 significantly extend shelf life and CP treatment with MA can at least double shelf life of fresh chicken meat (more than 14 days). Regardless of headspace composition, in-package CP does not have negative effects on chicken meat appearance.

Biogenic amines in Zamorano cheese: factors involved in their accumulation.

Ripened cheese is among fermented food the most often associated with food poisoning from biogenic amines. The influence of ripening time, heat treatment of milk and the effect of using milk from a different ewe breed on the biogenic amine (BA) content of Zamorano cheese was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography. Physicochemical, proteolytic and microbiological parameters were also studied. BA content increased significantly during ripening and their final values were around 400 mg kg(-1). Cheeses elaborated with raw milk duplicated the concentration of BA relative to those elaborated with pasteurized milk (72 °C for 20 s). The average levels of putrescine, spermine and tyramine were higher in cheeses made with a greater proportion of milk from Churra breed. Significant differences in microbial counts and nitrogen soluble in 5% phosphotungstic acid were observed between the different batches. Ripening time and heat treatment applied to milk were the factors that exercised the greatest influence upon the concentration of BA in Zamorano cheese.

Use of Different Lactic Starter Cultures in the Production of Tarhana

In this study, Lactobacillus plantarum and L. brevis were used as starter cultures in tarhana production. The samples that had L. plantarum (P) and L. brevis (B) added to them had lower acidity values than the control samples (C). In the first 4 days of production, total antioxidant capacity and total phenol contents were not significantly different. B had lower protein in vitro digestibility values than C and, all the samples had generally higher values on the third day of fermentation. The analysis of total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, total lactic acid bacteria, total coliform group bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and yeast–mold counts were conducted. These showed that, during fermentation, there were some significant differences in microbial counts, but sample type had no significant effect on the microbiological load of the final dried products. The evaluated data displayed the effect of starter cultures on some properties of tarhana during fermentation. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The quality of tarhana, as with other fermented food products depends highly on microbial yield and type. The use of lactic starter culture is essential to provide a more controlled and standardized fermentation process; it is important to know how the main properties of tarhana changes or are affected when different lactic starter cultures are used in the production. This information can be helpful in optimizing tarhana production.

Assessment of alternative hand hygiene regimens to improve skin health among neonatal intensive care unit nurses

The frequent handwashing and gloving required in high-risk, high-volume patient care areas such as critical care units damages skin of the hands. The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare 2 hand care regimens (traditional antiseptic wash with chlorhexidine-containing detergent versus mild soap wash with subsequent alcohol-based rinse for degerming as necessary) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Prospective, quasi-experimental, random assignment. One NICU (47 beds) in a New York City children's hospital. Sixteen full-time NICU nurses. Microbial flora and skin condition of hands. Nurses were randomly assigned to one of the 2 hand care regimens. No significant differences in microbial counts or types of organisms from hands of staff were found, but after 2 weeks nurses in the mild soap and alcohol group had significant improvements in their skin condition (P =.005). Use of a mild soap for cleaning and an alcohol-based product for degerming may offer an acceptable alternative to the traditional antiseptic handwash and may reduce skin damage to health care professionals' hands.

Assessment of alternative hand hygiene regimens to improve skin health among neonatal intensive care unit nurses

OBJECTIVE: The frequent handwashing and gloving required in high-risk, high-volume patient care areas such as critical care units damages skin of the hands. The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare 2 hand care regimens (traditional antiseptic wash with chlorhexidine-containing detergent versus mild soap wash with subsequent alcohol-based rinse for degerming as necessary) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).DESIGN: Prospective, quasi-experimental, random assignment.SETTING: One NICU (47 beds) in a New York City children's hospital.SUBJECTS: Sixteen full-time NICU nurses.OUTCOME MEASURES: Microbial flora and skin condition of hands.INTERVENTION: Nurses were randomly assigned to one of the 2 hand care regimens.RESULTS: No significant differences in microbial counts or types of organisms from hands of staff were found, but after 2 weeks nurses in the mild soap and alcohol group had significant improvements in their skin condition (P = .005).CONCLUSIONS: Use of a mild soap for cleaning and an alcohol-based product for degerming may offer an acceptable alternative to the traditional antiseptic handwash and may reduce skin damage to health care professionals' hands.

Microbiology of hot-fat-trimmed beef

The effects of removal of fat from hot beef carcasses on the shelf life of beef involved measuring the incidence of aerobic (TPC), lactic (LAC), and coliform (TCC) bacteria and the pathogen Escherichia coli (EC) from alternate sides that were hot-fat trimmed (HFT) or not trimmed (NFT) then subjected to a conventional 24-h chill. The biceps femoris, psoas major, longissimus thoracis et lumborum, and supraspinatus muscles were assayed. Higher (P < .05) TPC and EC counts were found for all muscles at 0 d than at 7 and 14 d of storage. The LAC and TCC counts were higher (P < .05) on all muscles after the 14 d of storage than after 0 or 7 d of storage. The significant differences in microbial counts were less than one log 10/g of tissue and therefore are of questionable importance. The HFT did not increase carcass microbial load compared with NFT. This study showed that HFT and accelerated processing of beef for the production of lean retail cuts did not adversely affect the shelf-life of vacuum-packaged beef.

Microbiological Changes in Fresh Market Tomatoes During Packing Operations

ABSTRACTPreliminary studies in two fresh market tomato packing houses in the Charleston, SC area showed significant differences in microbial counts on tomatoes by packing house, sampling point in packing lines, and season. Higher total plate counts, Enterobacteriaceae counts, and mold counts were found in one packing house, probably due to a failure to maintain adequate chlorine in the wash water. Total plate and Enterobacteriaceae counts were higher on tomatoes packed in July than in November. Enterobacteriaceae and molds isolated from the tomato samples were those normally associated with soil‐borne contamination. Enterobacter agglomerans, Enterobacter cloacae, and Serratia marcescens were predominant Enterobacteriaceae identified; Alternaria, Penicillium, and Cladosporium were the predominant molds isolated and identified.

MICROBIOLOGICAL CONDITION OF BROILERS AS INFLUENCED BY VACUUM AND CARBON DIOXIDE IN BULK SHIPPING PACKS

ABSTRACTBulk vacuum‐gas packs of broilers were examined microbiologically and organoleptically in tests to determine effects of storage temperature, film permeability, carbon dioxide level and vacuum level on acceptability and shelf‐life of fresh‐processed poultry. Total aerobic bacterial counts and off‐odor development were determined after 5–18 days of storage in bulk packs and again after 2–7 more days of storage in a retail case. Significantly lower microbial counts and extended shelf‐life were found when storage was at 2°C instead of 5°C, after 12 days storage when low permeable packaging film was used instead of high permeable film and after 15 days of storage when 65% CO2 was used instead of 20% CO2. No significant difference in microbial counts was found when a pinhole was made to simulate leaking or torn bulk packs. Gram stains of bacteria from total plate counts and type of off‐odor observed indicate spoilage of vacuum‐gas packaged broilers was caused by different bacteria than spoilage of ice‐packed broilers.