FOOD. Science. Technology. Quality

Food. SCIENCE. Technology. Quality

Food. Science. TECHNOLOGY. Quality

Food. Science. Technology. QUALITY

Authors

DANUTA BIAŁASIEWICZ, DANUTA MAJCZYNA, JOANNA KRÓLASIK

Title

Microbiological assessment of vegetarian products

Abstract

There was determined the microbiological quality of 23 vegetarian products immediately after the production process, and after the products have been stored for periods equalling their shelf life as declared by the manufacturers. The following parameters of the products investigated were determined [in 1 g of each product]: total count of aerobic mesophilic micro-organisms; counts of Staphylococcus aureus, moulds, and yeasts; the occurrence of coliform bacteria and spore-forming bacilli anaerobes in 0.001 g of the product, and of Salmonella bacilli in 25 g of the product. In the vegetarian food products, investigated immediately upon their manufacturing, the bacterial contamination was caused mainly by aerobic mesophillic bacteria, and their counts amounted to 102–103 [cfu/g]. In all the products investigated, no pathogenic bacteria were found, as were no yeasts. After the cold storing of the vegetarian products, in the majority of the products, the total counts of aerobic micro-organisms essentially increased, and their levels exceeded 107 [cfu/g], as did the content levels of yeasts, and coliform bacteria. The indispensable improvement in the microbiological quality of products stored was obtained as soon as the adequate technological processes were applied and the rules of good hygienic practices (GHP) were obeyed in the entire food-processing plant.

Keywords

vegetarian products, microbiological contamination, GHP

Download