ABSTRACT
Thai traditional fermented shrimp paste (Ka-pi) is widely consumed as condiment and seasoning ingredient in Thailand. Chemical and physical properties of thirteen shrimp paste samples were examined. The water content and water activity (Aw) of the products ranged from 33.95-52.19 % and 0.64-0.72, respectively while salt concentration was 7.00 to 10.85 %. The nitrogen content varied from 2.87 to 6.85 % (w/w). KS1 showed the highest protein content (42.8 %) followed by SP1 and SP3 (42.4 and 41.3 %), respectively. The predominant amino acids were glutamic acid (70.1-593.9 μg/g), lysine (112.7-546.3 μg/g) and leucine (29.5-544.9 μg/g). Total bacterial cell count in the samples ranged from 1.3x103 - 2.9x105 cfu g-1 while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were not detected. This study will be provided the information for improving the quality of products in manufacture to meet the demand of consumer.
ABSTRACT
On 17 January 1985, a group of students came to Siriraj hospital with food poisoning. There were 17 cases, 9 males and 8 females, aged between 13-18 years. The symptoms were vomiting 16 cases (94.12%), abdominal pain 7 cases (41.18%), diarrhea 4 cases (23.53%) and palpitation 2 cases (11.76%). The incubation period was about 2.82 hours. AII cases had a history of having lunch with Kapi (Shrimp paste) mixed with rice from the same food shop. In order to prove the cause of the illness, a group of investigators went to the shop, and then a Kapi specimen which was used for preparing the food was brought to the Infectious Disease unit for examination. It is was tested by culture but the result was negative for organism, while the other half of the specimen was investigated further at the Toxicology unit and a large amount of Sodium dithionite was found. It was concluded that the contamination of this chemical in the Kapi mixed with rice was the cause of food poisoning among the victims.