ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the food safety knowledge and behavior of housewives in the city of Tehran, Iran in 2015
Materials and Methods: In this qualitative study 12 Focus Group Discussions by directed content analysis method [n= 96], were conducted among the women who were responsible for food handling in their households in 10 health centers. Each session was held with 7-10 participants, and their voices were recorded. The final transcripts were read to obtain categories until developing themes by using constant comparison method
Results: Three categories in nine themes were emerged as follows: 1] Personal hygiene and poisoning [Washing hands as priority in personal hygiene]; 2] Food safety, preparation and storage [Inadequate knowledge about proper time for boiling raw milk, Lack of awareness about temperature of refrigerator, Incorrect storage of food in the refrigerator, Storage of unwashed and unpacked eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator, Thawing frozen raw meat and chicken at room temperature, Incorrect separation and sanitization of cutting boards for fresh vegetables, raw meat, chicken, and Inappropriate washing of fresh leafy vegetables]; and 3] Safety of cooked foods [Improper reheating of leftover foods]
Conclusions: The findings of this study illustrated that there was lack of knowledge about food safety. It was evident that the majority of the participants were not familiar with appropriate practices to prevent cross contamination and food handling. Therefore, home food safety education should be conducted for housewives
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: The use of Bacillus probiotics is an interesting way for manufacturing healthier meat and meat products as functional foods and also a valuable solution for overcoming the constraints related to the stability of probiotic strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium during processing and storage of foods. This work is an attempt to investigate the influence of common household cooking methods on the viability of Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis as probiotic sporeformers inoculated into cooked sausages
Materials and Methods: After preparation of the final suspensions of Bacillus coagulans ATCC 31284 and Bacillus subtilis var. Natto ATCC 15245 spores, they were supplemented in the sausage samples with different meat types and percentages. The inoculated cooked sausages were then submitted to common household cooking methods, i.e. boiling, microwaving, and deep fat frying. Enumeration of the studied spores was carried out on trypticase soy agar after exposure to a heat shock at 68°C for 20 min. One-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] of SPSS-20 was used for statistical analysis of the data. A Taguchi L9 experimental design comprising 3 variables and 3 levels was performed using MINITAB-17 to determine main effects of the parameters of household cooking process
Results: The results obtained in this study showed that boiling, followed by microwaving and deep fat frying, had the greatest viability and recovery of the studied spores supplemented in the cooked sausages, respectively [P < 0.05]. Furthermore, results of the Taguchi experimental method revealed that the type of Bacillus probiotics, followed by the formulation of cooked sausages and the method of household cooking of cooked sausages had main effects on the concentrations of the spores examined, respectively
Conclusions: The information provided here suggests that boiling as a common household cooking method retained maximum viability and recovery of the studied Bacillus probiotics supplemented in the cooked sausage samples. Besides, the type of spores was the principle parameter, which had a critical effect on the response [i.e. concentrations of the studied Bacillus probiotics]
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to investigate effects of various heat shock conditions and fast freezing and subsequent thawing on the viability and recovery of Bacillus coagulans and Bacillus subtilis as probiotic Sporeformers, and also to compare spore plate and microscopic counts
Materials and Methods: After preparing the final suspensions of B. coagulans and Bacillus suhtilis subsp. Natto spores, they were spread-plated before and after fast freezing treatment [-70°C for about 1 min]. Heat shock treatments of the spores were carried out at 68°C for 15, 20, and 30 min as well as at 80°C for 10 and 15 min. Concentrations of the examined probiotic Sporeformers were determined simultaneously by plate enumerations and microscopically determined counts. Student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] of SPSS were used for statistical analysis of the data. Analysis of DoE results was carried out using Minitab
Results: The results presented here show that the highest recovery rates for B. coagulans [14.75 log CFU/mL] and B. subtilis spores [14.80 log CFU/mL] were under a heat shock condition of 68°C for 20 min in nutrient agar [p<0.05]
In addition, the survival rates of B. coagulans and B. subtilis spores under the fast freezing and subsequent thawing condition were about 90% and 88%, respectively. Plate counts differed significantly from counts determined microscopically, with differences of almost 0.5 and 0.8 log for B. coagulans and B. subtilis spores, respectively [p<0.05]
In addition, DoE results of the study revealed that both factors of spore count method and only freezing factor in fast freezing treatment have a significant effect on concentrations of the spores examined [p<0.05]
Conclusions: Heat shock conditions, freezing and subsequent thawing circumstances, and plate counts or enumerations determined microscopically have significant influences on the viability of probiotic Sporeformers and should be considered in determining of their accurate concentrations
ABSTRACT
Carboxymethyl cellulose [CMC] is one of the most common cellulose derivatives. It has many applications such as edible films and coating. Antioxidant and antimicrobial of essential oils and their direct or indirect usage in foods have been investigated. This study focuses on the physical, chemical, antioxidant and antimicrobial characteristics of CMC edible film incorporated with clove essential oils [CEO]. In this experimental study, CMC edible films with or without clove essential oil were prepared by casting method and many characteristics such as thickness, water vapor permeability [WVP], tensile strength, elongation at break, optical characteristics, microstructure, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of the films were assessed. Tensile strength values were higher when compared with those of control film [pure CMC film], especially in 1% EO concentration. Elongation at break value in 1% EO was higher than control film, but by increasing of EO portion, it decreased. Antioxidant properties and total phenolic compounds as expected increased in higher concentration of EO. Antimicrobial properties of the films showed that films incorporated with EO are effective against selected pathogen bacteria, especially in the higher concentration of EO. Some variations in the structure of various films were shown by scanning electron microscopy [SEM]. Additions of EO into CMC film disrupted condense structure of film and produced a heterogeneous structure. As antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of CEO retain when it used in CMC edible film, it could be beneficial in food packaging to retard of deterioration
ABSTRACT
Atmospheric pressure plasma [APP] is an emerging non thermal technology for the improvement of food safety. Non-thermal plasma [NTP] is a neutral ionized gas that comprises highly reactive spices including, positive ions, negative ions, free radicals, electrons, excited or non excited molecules and photons at or near room temperature. NTP can be generated at atmospheric pressure that makes it more applicable. Moreover, it could be employed in inactivation of microorganisms on the surface of fresh and processed foods. However, for the reason that there are few studies on the application of this technology in real food systems, the effects of non-thermal plasma on nutritional and chemical properties of food is not known well. Furthermore, the studies which explore the safety and cost aspects of this technology could help it become widespread in food industry. This paper will attempt to provide a review of atmospheric pressure cold plasma, its application in microbial inactivation, food preservation and future prospect of this new technology