Microbial Quality and Public Health Risks of Selected Herbal Remedies Sold in Open Markets in Owerri Metropolis, South Eastern, Nigeria

Herbal medicines are presently widely used in developed and developing countries for health care due to their affordability, accessibility and availability. Objective: The microbial quality of selected herbal remedies sold in open markets in Owerri, South Eastern, Nigeria was studied. Methods: The samples were bulked according to type and then serially diluted. The spread plate technique was used in inoculating the samples on the appropriate culture medium and then incubated. Standard laboratory protocols for microbiological studies and biochemical tests were employed for the identification of the microorganisms present in the samples. Results: The presence of bacterial species namely Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Micrococcus, Enterococcus and Staphylococcus spp was recorded. They were all gram positive and bacterial counts ranged from 1.0 x 106 to 7.8 x 107cfu/ml. Fungal isolates included Mucor, Saccharomyces and Penicillium spp. and fungal counts ranged from 3.0x103 to 1.3x108 cfu/ml respectively. Conclusion: The presence of these microorganisms in herbal remedies do not only make them hazardous, but might also change the physical, chemical and natural properties of the herbal remedies by altering the contents of active ingredients or converting them to toxic products. The production and consumption of herbal remedies should be properly supervised and monitored to ensure that only good quality products get to the consumers.

Physicochemical, nutritional and microbial quality of pastes and data on their consumption in Mexican university students

ABSTRACT A paste is a food of English origin adopted in Hidalgo, Mexico, over a hundred years ago. It is consumed as a convenience food and is very popular among students. The aim of this research was to determine the physicochemical, nutritional, and microbial quality of pastes as well as to obtain data on their consumption in a population of Mexican university students. The proximal composition, calories, sodium content, pH, water activity, and microbiological quality of 15 types of pastes were analyzed. Five hundred students from the largest public university in the State of Hidalgo in Mexico were surveyed to determine paste consumption. Pastes varied in their content of fat (12-25.7 g/100 g), protein (2.29-12.6 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (23.5-52.7 g/100 g). The caloric content varied from 356 to 545 kcal/paste. The salty samples contained more sodium (216-693 mg Na/100 g) compared to the sweet ones (54.9-74.1 mg Na/100 g). Samples presented large variability in microbial quality and only one sample had coliform growth. Almost all respondents (96.2%) reported consuming pastes, 49.7% consumed 1 to 2 pieces per week, while 32% consumed 3 to 4. Participants considered that pastes were fast, convenient, and cheap and mentioned consuming them for their taste and practicality. Pastes represent an important source of calories and sodium in the diet. Labeling these types of foods will provide nutritional information and could prevent excessive consumption.

RESUMEN El paste es un alimento de origen inglés adoptado en Hidalgo, México, desde hace más de cien años. Se consume como comida de conveniencia y es muy popular entre estudiantes. El objetivo fue determinar la calidad fisicoquímica, nutricional y microbiana de pastes, así como conocer datos sobre su consumo en una población de estudiantes universitarios mexicanos. Se analizó la composición proximal, las calorías, el contenido de sodio, el pH, la actividad acuosa y la calidad microbiológica de 15 tipos de pastes mediante técnicas oficiales. Se encuestaron 500 estudiantes de la universidad pública más grande del estado de Hidalgo (México) para determinar su consumo de pastes. Los pastes variaron en su contenido de grasas (12-25,7 g/100 g), proteínas (2,29-12,6 g/100 g) y carbohidratos (23,5-52,7 g/100 g). El contenido calórico fue de 356 a 545 kcal/paste. Las muestras saladas contenían más sodio (216-693 mg Na/100 g) en comparación con las dulces (54,9-74,1 mg Na/100 g). Las muestras presentaron alta variabilidad en la calidad microbiológica y solo una muestra presentó crecimiento de coliformes. El 96,2% de los encuestados consume pastes, el 49,7% consume de 1 a 2 piezas por semana mientras que el 32% consume de 3 a 4. Los participantes consideraron que los pastes son rápidos, convenientes y baratos y mencionaron consumirlos por su sabor y practicidad. Los pastes representan una fuente importante de calorías y sodio en la dieta. Etiquetar este tipo de alimentos aportará información nutricional y podría evitar su consumo excesivo.

Health-related Microbial Quality of Drinking Water in Kangavar, Western Iran.

Evaluation of the microbial quality of drinking water can prevent the water-borne diseases outbreak that is one of the most important challenges in the world. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the seasonal variation of water-borne diseases prevalence associated with the microbial quality of drinking water and the comparison between rural and urban areas in Kangavar city, west of Iran. To accomplish this study, the results of the microbial quality of drinking water and cases of simple diarrhea, dysentery, typhoid and hepatitis A were received from all rural and urban health centers of the city during five years (2006-2010). To determine the relationship between diseases and microbial quality of water, Correlation instruction and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. The results showed that except hepatitis A, the incidence of all diseases in different areas (urban or rural) and seasons had significant relationship with microbial contamination of drinking water (P-value<0.05). The stronger relationship was observed in rural areas than in urban areas (except simple diarrhea) and in warm seasons than in cold seasons. With respect to the impact of the microbial quality of water on the incidence of dysentery and typhoid diseases, keeping up the quality of drinking water in places and times with high sensitivity (rural areas and warm seasons) should be considered strongly.

Microbial evaluation of bottled water marketed in North India.

Drinking unsafe and unhygienic water can cause waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and typhoid. The present study describes the microbial evaluation of bottled water sold in North India. The samples were analyzed for total viable count and coliforms and susceptibility to different antibiotics. Though free of coliforms, the samples had a total viable count ranging from 0.01 × 10 [1] cfu/mL to 2.40 × 10 [3] cfu/mL and in 17% of the samples, total viable count was much higher than specified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Government of India. Among the samples, 6.5% also showed fungal growth. On checking the sensitivity of bacteria isolates to different antibiotics, most of the strains were found to be resistant to a number of antibiotics. It can thus be concluded that the consumption of bottled water with a high viable count and that was bacteria-resistant to different antibiotics may have an effect on the health of the consumers, especially immune-compromised individuals.

Avaliação microbiológica em ordenhadeira mecânica antes e após adoção de procedimento orientado de higienização / Microbiological evaluation of milking machine before and after the procedures adopted the hygienic

O leite é um alimento de origem animal de excepcional valor nutritivo para o consumo humano. Da mesma forma, constituiseem um excelente meio de cultura para multiplicação de micro-organismos, inclusive patogênicos, podendo atuar comofonte de infecção de doenças de caráter zoonótico. A higiene antes, durante e após a ordenha, influencia muito na qualidadebacteriológica do leite cru. Basedo neste atributo de qualidade, foi realizado um trabalho para avaliar a reestruturação doprocedimento de higienização de ordenhadeira mecânica através de análises bacteriológicas da superfície de diferentespontos da ordenhadeira e do leite cru. A fazenda onde o estudo foi aplicado está situada no município de Urutaí, regiãosudeste de Goiás. A pesquisa foi realizada com 30 animais com produção diária de 300 litros de leite. O equipamento deordenha utilizado para estudo é da marca Pionner, com oito conjuntos canalizados para um tanque de armazenamento comcapacidade para 800 litros. O procedimento de higienização adotado foi modificado e adaptado àquele já empregado pelafazenda, porém com aumento da frequência de alguns procedimentos e monitoramento constante das concentrações dassoluções do tempo e da temperatura. As amostras de leite cru foram coletadas antes e após a adoção dos procedimentosde orientação de higienização da ordenhadeira mecânica. Observa-se que, mesmo antes da adoção dos procedimentosorientados de higienização, as contagens se encontravam dentro do preconizado pela Organização Mundial de Saúde(OMS). Após a adoção dos procedimentos, a superfície da mangueira e do tanque de resfriamento continham menos de 1UFC/cm2. Houve também uma redução de mais de 1 ciclo logarítmico no número de mesófilos e psicotróficos aderidos nassuperfícies do sistema de ordenha. A média das contagens de bactérias heterotróficas aeróbias mesófilas e psicotróficasno leite cru, mesmo antes da intervenção com a introdução do procedimento assistido, estava abaixo de 106 UFC/mL. Apóso procedimento assistido esses números baixaram para 1,7 x 103 e 4,5 x 102, respectivamente para mesófilos e psicotróficos,demonstrando que a mudança de atitude quanto à doação de técnicas adequadas de higiene da ordenha é uma estratégiapara melhoria da qualidade bacteriológica do leite.

Milk is an animal food of exceptional nutritional value for human consumption. It is also an excellent culture medium for the multiplication of microorganisms, including pathogens wich can also serve as a source of infection for zoonotic diseases. The hygiene of milking, before during and after greatly influences the bacteriological quality attribute, work has been done to evaluate the restructuring of the procedures of cleaning the milking machine through bacteriological analysis of the surfaces of different parts of the milking and of the raw milk. A study was situated on a farm in the municipality of Urutaí in the south eastern part of Goias. A survey was conducted with thirty animals that gave a daily output of 300 liters of milk. The milking machine used in this study was “The Pionner”. This machine holds eight conections channeled through a storage tank and cooling system that has a capacity of 800 liters. The cleaning procedure used was modified and adapted to the one already employed by the farm, but increased were frequencies of some procedures and constant monitoring of concentrations of time and temperature. Raw milk samples were collected and after the supervised procedures of the sanitization of the milking machine. It was noted that even before the adoption procedures for hygiene , the bacterial counts were within recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO). After adopting these procedures. The surfaces of the hoses and cooling tanks contained less colonies of bacterial forming units per square meter CFU/m². There was also a reduction of more than on log cycle in the number of mesophilic and psicotrophic adhesions that adhered on the surfaces of the milking systems. The average counts of aerobic heterothophic mesophilic and psicotrophic bacterias before the intervention of the assisted procedures were below 106 CFU per 1ml. After the assisted procedures those numbers above dropped to 1.7x10³ power and 4.5x10² to power respectively for mesophilic and psicotrophic substances. The assisted procedures demonstrate that a change of attitude o on the adoption of appropriate techniques for milking hygiene is a strategy for improving the bacteriological quality of milk.

Avaliação da qualidade microbiológica do queijo-de-minas artesanal do Serro-MG / Microbiological quality of artisanal minas cheese, manufactured in the region of Serro-MG

Avaliaram-se a qualidade microbiológica do queijo-de-minas artesanal do Serro e a variação da microbiota do queijo recém-fabricado e no último dia de validade, após estocagem sob as condições recomendadas no rótulo. Foram analisadas 40 amostras de queijo, sendo 20 analisadas frescas, imediatamente após a coleta, e 20 no último dia de validade, após estocagem em câmara fria a 10ºC. As amostras foram analisadas para coliformes a 35ºC e 45ºC, Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, Salmonella spp. e Listeria monocytogenes. Trinta e sete amostras (92,5 por cento) encontraram-se impróprias para o consumo humano, de acordo com os parâmetros estabelecidos pela resolução: RDC ANVISA nº12/01, sendo a principal causa de condenação a contagem de Staphylococcus coagulase positiva. Nenhuma das amostras analisadas apresentou contaminação por Salmonella sp. ou Listeria monocytogenes. As contagens de Staphylococcus coagulase positiva dos queijos frescos foram mais altas (P<0,01) que as dos queijos analisados no último dia da validade

The microbiological quality of artisanal minas cheese produced in the region of Serro-MG was evaluated. Cheeses were analyzed fresh and at the end of the shelf life, under specific storage conditions (30 days, 10ºC). Forty samples of minas cheese were analyzed, twenty still fresh, and 20 after storage at 10ºC. The microbiological analyses were counts of fecal and total coliforms, and Staphylococcus coagulase positive; and search of Salmonella sp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Twenty-seven samples (92.5 percent) were in disagreement with the Brazilian Standard, Resolution nº 12 of January 12, 2001, from ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency), and Staphylococcus coagulase positive was the major contaminant. No sample was contaminated by Salmonella sp. or Listeria monocytogenes. During the storage, there was a decrease of countings in the population of Staphylococcus coagulase positive (P<0.01)