جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه "food contamination" در نشریات گروه "پزشکی"

The sources of milk play a significant role on overall milk quality. Therefore, the current study was intended to evaluate the quality (physiochemical, compositional, and microbiological) and detect the adulterants in milk.

A total of 200 milk samples were collected during mid of October to mid of December 2022 from four sources viz. Farmgate (50), Milkman (50), Bazar (50), and Branded packet milk (50). Milk samples were examined for various physiochemical, compositional, microbiological properties, and existence of adulterants. Data were analyzed by one way ANOVA and differences were determined by least significant difference test using RStudio.

Physiochemical analysis found significant variation in titratable acidity, protein, fat, salt, Solids-Not-Fat, and Total-Solids content among the sources (p<0.05), while lactose content was found non-significant. The highest (0.17%) and the lowest (0.13%) values for acidity were found in samples obtained from Milkman and Branded packet milk, respectively. Milk sample collected from Farmgate was found significantly higher in protein, fat, lactose, Solids-Not-Fat, and Total-Solids content than the other sources. In microbiological analysis, significant lower Total Viable Count, Total Coliform Count, and Escherichia coli Count were observed in Branded packet milk compared to the milk from Farmgate, Milkman, and Bazar source (p<0.001). In adulteration examinations, only neutralizers (sodium carbonate and bicarbonate) and nitrates were found positive in milk sample collected from Milkman, Farmgate, and Bazar, and their frequency was varied significantly (p<0.001). Overall, the milk obtained from Farmgate was better in terms of nutrient composition and physiochemical properties than the other sources but in respect to microbiological quality, Branded packet milk was found more hygienic.

The study found that the variance in milk sources led to changes in the microbial load, physical appearance, and nutritional content of milk. The present study investigated that the addition of different adulterants and variation in time interval (milking to selling) are the main reasons for the deterioration of milk.

The presence of aflatoxin M1, a toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic substance, poses significant health risks. Hence, this study assesses the levels of aflatoxin M1 in raw, pasteurized, and sterilized milk obtained from the North Khorasan Province, Iran, and evaluates its potential impact on consumer health.

This descriptive-analytical study randomly collected 189 raw milk samples. Additionally, 70 pasteurized and sterilized milk samples from supermarkets in the North Khorasan Province, Iran, were included. All samples were assessed for aflatoxin M1 contamination using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Meanwhile, statistical analysis (analysis of variance) was performed on the results.

The Mean±SD concentration of aflatoxin M1 in raw milk from the North Khorasan Province, Iran, was 18.44±34.6 ng/L, while pasteurized and sterilized milk had a higher mean concentration of 42.8±21.54 ng/L. The lowest concentration was found in Bojnord City, Iran, at 9.30±8.91 ng/L, while the highest concentration was detected in Jajarm at 30.70±80.50 ng/L. The mean contamination of aflatoxin M1 was not statistically significant (P=0.42) in most cities of the province. Meanwhile, 6.34% of raw milk and 11.4% of pasteurized milk samples had higher levels of aflatoxin M1 than the maximum limit recommended by the Iran National Standard Organization (INSO) (100 ng/L). However, none of the milk samples exceeded the permissible limit set by the Veterinary Organization of the country (500 ng/L).

The mean concentration of aflatoxin M1 in raw and pasteurized milk from the North Khorasan Province is lower than the European Union (EU) standard of 50 ng/L and the approved limit set by the country’s Veterinary Organization (500 ng/L). Therefore, it is not considered a significant threat to the health of adults.

Food poisoning could be caused by eating the sweets contaminated with microorganisms, which has always been considered as one of the major problems of people in developing countries, including Iran. The aim of this study is to investigate microbial variety and fungal load in the traditional sweets offered in confectionery stores in Yazd province in 2020.

In this study, 170 samples of traditional sweets, referred by confectioneries in Yazd province, were randomly selected and tested for microorganisms contamination such as Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, molds, and yeasts according to Iranian national standards.

The highest rate of microbial contamination in samples was related to "Pistachio Loz" (52.94%) and the lowest rate was related to "Hajibadam" (11.76%). The infection rates of Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, molds, and yeasts were 17.06%, 8.83%, 20.59%, 3.53%, respectively. No infection was observed with Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella in the samples.

Due to the high level of microbial contamination of traditional sweets, especially "Pistachio Loz" offered in Yazd, more control measures are needed in preparation and distribution of such sweets.

Given that controlling Listeria contamination is very important in food chain system, the knowledge of their prevalence in food is very important. Therefore, this study aims to examine the prevalence of important Listeria species in various food types and evaluate serotype distribution, as well as the study of the virulence factors of L. monocytogenes.

During July 2018 and January 2020, 900 food samples were collected in the North of Iran, including beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, milk and yogurt, green vegetables, mixed vegetable salad, Olivier salad, and cottage cheese. After isolation and identification steps, each bacterial DNA was extracted. Then, using specific primers, species, serotypes, and virulence genes of Listeria isolates were evaluated in the samples by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method.

The test results of 136 samples (15.1%) were positive for Listeria spp. and the most contaminated food was beef (35%) followed by chicken (29%) and green vegetables (23%). The most isolated Listeria spp. was L. monocytogenes and L. ivanovii. Among L. monocytogenes isolates, the dominant serogroups were 1/2a and 4b; furthermore, all of the isolates of this species harbored four virulence genes, including hlyA, plc, iap, and actA.

These reports highlighted the importance of food safety in various food products, particularly raw meats and vegetables. Moreover, contamination of healthy foods such as fish and vegetables with Listeria is an indicator of public health.

Food adulteration with pork in processed beef products is one of the most serious issues in a food sector in a Muslim-majority country since it is related to religious food ethics regarding the halal products. The goal of this research is to test the suitability of ingredients in beef floss and its Halal by knowing the presence of pork DNA and protein in those products.

Meat products were prepared from two famous marketplaces in Indonesia labeled contain beef meat. In this study, a qualitative Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test was compared to a conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay to determine pork adulteration in beef floss.

The results of the ELISA test showed that two products labeling Halal and containing beef ingredients were positive for pork. Those two samples continued testing using conventional PCR assay. The result of the conventional PCR assay was negative for those two samples.

It may be helpful to utilize both traditional PCR and ELISA for species detection due to the possibly inhibiting compounds contained in some processed meat products. The results of this research suggest that ELISA is better than conventional PCR method for product samples that have received an intensive heating process.

Heavy metals contamination is a major concern because of its serious threat to human health. The primary aim of this study was to examine potential health risks for national (adults and children) and international (Arab population) inhabitants that were exposed to heavy metals (Cd and Pb) through ingestion of wheat flour. A total of 300 wheat flours samples (<0.25 mm) of five commercial brands have been collected from 2016 to 2018 from Khuzestan province, Iran. The possible health risk was estimated based on the Hazard Quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI or non-carcinogenic risk), and carcinogenic Risk (CR) indices. The average concentrations of the Pb and Cd were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the safety limit in all seasons for three years. However, 2.3% of Pb in the total samples exceeded the European Commission and FAO/WHO standards. All estimated values for non-carcinogenic risk were in the safe range (HQ < 1) among all consumers. The mean value of total CR for Pb was 1.23×10−6, 1.75× 10-6, and 8.03 × 10-7 for adult, children, and Arab populations, respectively. For Cd exposure, the total CR value was 2.2×10−4, 3.13×10−4 and 1.44 ×10−4 for adult, children, and Arab populations, respectively. Cancer risk values determined for Cd were generally in the unsafe range during three years, indicating that there was CR for all consumers by ingestion intake of Cd contained in wheat flour in this study area. The results obtained indicated that the government requires implementing more remediation or intervention to control and mitigate the contamination burden of Cd in agricultural crops to reduce its associated carcinogenic risks.

The presence of mycotoxigenic molds in food potentially poses hazards to healthy living and needs to be controlled. There is a greater risk that the resistance phenomenon will increase in the future due to the frequent use of antibiotics and preservatives, unlike biopreservation. Lactic acid bacteria are capable of producing secondary metabolites with antimicrobial properties. This study was conducted to evaluate the antagonistic effect of lactic acid bacteria isolates against toxigenic mold, Aspergillus flavus. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from palm wine, ogi, and yogurt samples, and their antagonistic activity against toxigenic mold was investigated using the agar overlay method. Streptomyces spp. had the highest counts of 15.1×104 cfu/ml, while the least count of 2.0×104 cfu/ml from Lactobacillus plantarum was obtained. Pediococcus damnosus and Lactobacillus plantarum were present in both yogurt and palm wine samples. Similarly, Streptococcus spp. was identified in both yogurt and pap (ogi) samples. Aspergillus flavus was susceptible to half of the lactic acid bacterial isolates with varying degrees of inhibition. Total inhibition of toxigenic mold was observed on the control plate and plates inoculated with L. lactis, S. thermophilus, Leuconostoc mesenteriodes, P. damnosus, and L. bulgaricus. The antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria suggests their biocontrol efficacy against A. flavus. Also, the antimicrobial properties of lactic acid bacteria can make them a suitable candidate in food preservation. Furthermore, this study can stand as a preliminary step in multistep research to investigate the anti-fungal and anti-aflatoxigenic potential of lactic acid bacteria from fermented foods against toxigenic A. flavus.

The bacteria Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate food and cause disease, not just in underdeveloped, but also in developed countries. Cheese is one of the dairy products that can cause listeriosis if it is consumed with contaminated milk. Sixty samples of traditional unpasteurized white cheese weighing approximately 100 g were obtained from sales centers in Tehran for three consecutive weeks. Then, 25 g of each weighed sample was added to 225 ml of initial enrichment medium and incubated at 30°C for 24 h. In the next step, they were cultured in Polymyxin Acriflavin Lithium-chloride Ceftazidime Esculin Mannitol medium and incubated at 35°C for 24 h. The growth and non-growth of Listeria monocytogenes bacterial colonies were examined, and additional tests were performed. The results of this study showed that out of 60 traditional cheese samples that were examined, based on the results of culture and supplementary tests, one cheese sample (1.6%) was infected with Listeria monocytogenes. In general, our study showed a lower level of contamination by Listeria monocytogenes compared to other studies. Iranian cheeses can be found in many varieties and there are differences in processing traditional cheese in different regions. Thereby, continuous monitoring is required.

Due to the impacts of heavy metals on human health and the top rank of these elements on marine products such as canned fish, this study aimed to determine the heavy metals of the most widely used brands of canned fish on the market of Iran. In this study, referring to the 25 major distribution centers of canned goods such as canned fishing, 10 brands of the most widely consumed brands of available canned tunas that produced in 2018, were sampled in two series of production. 10 g of homogenized samples was dried by the hot plate and 10 ml of concentrated nitric acid was added. Then, it was injected into the ICP - AES. For data analysis, ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare brands, also, one sample T-test was used to compare heavy metals of each brand. Our study showed that the average lead concentrations obtained was above the standard limit is 86.7 percent of samples. According to World Health Organization standard limits, the tin content was less than standard level in all brand sin the study. Cadmium concentration was in the standard limit in 96.7 percent of samples. The results showed that canned fish of Kashan market production have the most lead among brands. Measured values are higher than standard lead level, also with enhanced monitoring and the use of appropriate coverage in conserve cans or using non-soldered cans, decreased levels of metals such as lead and tin.

Milk and dairy products have an essential role in human health; however, they are easily contaminated and are likely to transfer pathogenic foodborne bacteria. Since traditional dairy products are very popular and are frequently used by the community, the aim of this study was to assess the contamination rate of raw milk and traditional dairy products by pathogenic bacteria and mold in Mashhad, Iran.

A total of 200 samples were collected from five districts of Mashhad, Iran in the summer of 2018. Samples were tested for Coliform, E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes, mold, and yeast according to the Iranian national standard methods.

Results showed that 65% of the samples were positive for at least one pathogenic bacteria. The prevalence of Coliform, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., molds, and yeast in all dairy products were 62.5%, 32.5%, 59.5%, 27.5%, 26%, and 100% respectively.

The results indicated that considerable numbers of traditional dairy products were contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms in Mashhad, Iran which emphasized the need for stricter hygienic rules and general education about the safety of traditional foods.

Fruits and vegetables are potential vehicle of transmission of intestinal parasites. The main aim of this study was to determine prevalence of intestinal parasitic contamination in fruits and vegetables sampled from Caborca region, Northwest Mexico.

A total of 400 fruit and vegetable samples were collected from unregulated open-air markets and closed (i.e., regulated) markets in Caborca region of Northwest Mexico; including melon, peach, asparagus, and grapes. Faust, Kinyoun, and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) techniques were used to detect and identify the genus and species of all parasites found in the examined samples. Data were statistically analyzed using STATA/SE (version 12.0).

An overall prevalence (45%) of parasitic contamination was found in the 400 fruit and vegetable samples. Endolimax nana (27.5%) and Entamoeba coli (17.5%) were the most common nonpathogenic parasites, while the most prevalent parasitic pathogens were Cryptosporidium spp. (11.7%), Cyclospora spp., (11.0%), and Blastocystis hominis (9.2%). Asparagus (31%) and grapes (38.9%) had significantly (p<0.05) higher percentages of overall and multiple parasitic contamination than melon (10.6%) and peaches (19.4%). The fresh produce from the open-air markets had significantly (p<0.05) higher overall parasitic contamination (53.5%) than those of the closed establishments (36.5%). 

The parasitic contamination in the fresh produce sold in the Northwest region of Mexico is a serious public health concern.

Consumption of contaminated seafoods is a major cause of death and hospitalization particularly in poor and developing countries. As with other food types, seafoods are also not free of food-borne pathogens and several risk factors are associated with its consumption. Regarding seafoods, there are regulatory hygienic alerts in importing countries. This paper briefly reviews the occurrence of seafood-borne diseases and describes the most important bacterial causes of these infections. Also, major bacterial threats, the route of infection, and food safety concerns associated with seafoods consumption are explained. Several bacterial pathogens, like Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium botulinum, Shigella spp., and Aeromonas spp. are considered as microbiological hazards for seafoods. These bacteria can contaminate seafood products anytime from farm to table. Some effective methods should be adopted for control and prevention of bacterial hazards in fish industry. Maintaining the microbiological water quality of domestic capture, post-harvest care, proper hygiene, etc. can minimize the bacterial hazards. Food-borne intoxications can be controlled by the proper refrigeration of seafoods and the continuous monitoring of the chill chain during the entire production process right up to consumption. Other ways to prevent food-borne outbreaks due to consumptions of seafoods are training of the consumers about correct handling of food, proper preparation, and storage of seafoods.DOI: 10.18502/jfqhc.7.1.2446

Consumption of vegetable products is increasing commonly in the world because they are recognized as an important source of nutrients, vitamins, and fiber for humans. Salads are among the most widely used foods that are also known as the most contaminated foods in restaurants. This study was conducted to determine the microbial contamination of salad-preparing tables and salad-serving dishes.

This study was conducted at 39 restaurants in Mashhad City in Iran during 2017. In this regard, 78 samples were determined from the salad preparing tables and serving dishes. Samples were tested for cleanliness status using Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)-bioluminescence method as a rapid test.

According to the ATP bioluminescence device, 43.6% of the assessed dishes were clean, 38.5 % were dirty, and 17.9 % were not adequately clean. According to the results of ATP bioluminescence device for tables, 23.1 % of the tested tables passed the test, 15.4 % were classified in the caution status, and 61.5% failed.

The ATP method has been widely used, especially in the food industry, as a rapid method for measuring general levels of cleanliness. However, this method is not a reliable replacement for measuring the microbial contamination. The ATP bioluminescence should not be used as a substitute for quantitation of microbial load.

Milk is one of the most nutritious foods providing a variety of proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins needed to maintain, grow, and develop the body. The aim of this study was to assess microbial and chemical adulterants of raw cow milk collected from dairy farms of Hlabisa villages, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

A total of 68 raw cow milk samples were obtained from teats sampling points, milking buckets, and communal pooling buckets. The bacteriological analysis was conducted for the detection of various bacteria in milk samples. Biochemical tests were also done to detect some chemical adulterants in milk samples.

Total bacterial count of teats, milking buckets, and communal milk pooling buckets were 6.91, 6.06, and 6.06 log Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/ml, respectively. The most found chemical adulterant was urea detected in 23 out of 68 (33.8%) samples, followed by hydrogen peroxide showed in 22 out of 68 (32.3%) samples. However, none of the samples were contaminated with formalin, starch, and neutralizer.

The present study revealed high microbial contamination of raw cow milk produced by rural small-scale dairy farmers of Hlabisa villages, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, indicating the lack of standard operating sanitation. It was also stated that raw milk samples contained various types of chemical adulterants that may lead to severe health problems. Good hygiene practices must be adopted by small-scale dairy farmers at every stage of their milk handling and processing.

Healthy diets including fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of chronic diseases. This study was aimed at detecting parasitic contamination caused by consuming raw vegetables sold in Hamadan, west of Iran. A total of 380 vegetable samples consisting of parsley, coriander, basil, savory, mint, cress, tarragon, leek, radish and spring onion were evaluated microscopically after conducting sedimentation and flotation from April 2017 to March 2018. Parasites were detected in 95 out of 380 of vegetable samples (25%). The organisms identified included Entamoeba coli (8.15%), Ascaris lumbricoides (7.1%), Chilomastix mesnili (5%), and Giardia lamblia (1.5%), Blastocystis hominis (0.78%), Toxocara canis (0.26%) and Hymenolepis nana (0.26%). High level of contamination was obtained for parsley (5.52%) while radish was the least contaminated (0.78%). Vegetable contamination was higher in spring and summer (20.6%) (P<0.0001). Samples collected from vegetable fields irrigated by well water supply showed low parasitic contamination (28.5%) compared to those from farms irrigated by surface or sewage water (91%) (P<0.0001). The results emphasize the potential role of raw vegetables consumption in transmission of pathogenic organisms. Besides, it was highlighted that irrigation of vegetables by surface water could be the source of vegetable contamination with human intestinal parasites.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of traditional sweets, Zoolbia and Bamieh made in the confectioneries of the Mashhad during the holy month of Ramadan. This study was a cross-sectional study. Seventy five samples of traditional sweets, Zoolbia and Bamieh were collected randomly from confectionaries of Mashhad during Ramadan month in 2018. Microbial quality tests including mold and yeast, E. coli, Enterobacteriaceae and S. aureus enumeration and Salmonella isolation were performed. Of the total samples tested 22.6% ‏of the samples were within the specified limit of the standard. The contamination rate of mold and yeast was 13.3%, Salmonella 6.6%, Enterobacteriaceae 13.3%, E.coli 16% and S. aureus 28%. The highest level of contamination was related to S.aureus and the lowest level related to Salmonella. The results showed that the contamination rate of Zoolbia and Bamieh is high and significant, therefore, given the high percentage of contamination of samples, production and distribution practices as well as the workers hygiene must be under more control and attention. The existence of vulnerable groups among consumers adds to the importance of this issue.

Given the presence of toxic metals in some local Iranian as well as some imported rice varieties, it may be of help to focus on public awareness for the implementation of educational interventions. This study aimed to assess awareness and attitudes of women in Sanandaj, Iran, regarding toxic metal-contaminated rice based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1450 women aged 18 and above. The questionnaire used in the study consisted of three parts; demographic information, awareness assessment, and HBM constructs. Data were analyzed using chi-square test, t-test, ANOVA, and the logistic regression analysis in SPSS. The mean age of the study participants was 40.55 ± 13.8 years. The level of awareness regarding the presence of toxic metals in daily-consumed rice was low in 78.2% and moderate in 21.8% of the participants. Among the attitude factors, risk perception was the only one that increased the probability of falling in the group with moderate awareness instead of the group with low awareness by 1.37 times. The results support the necessity of raising public awareness and increasing risk perception in the population about the adverse effects of toxic metals.

Transmission of infectious agents, such as parasites, is associated with consumption of raw vegetables. Thus, the health of vegetables reflects the health status of a region.
Due to considerable parasitic contamination in Hamadan province and lack of information about health of vegetables in this region, this study was conducted in Malayer city, west of Iran.
This investigation was a cross-sectional study carried out on 383 samples of different vegetables including leek, parsley, coriander, radish, spring onion, tarragon, basil, mint, cress, and savory. The samples were randomly collected from 38 farms around Malayer city and subjected to parasitic contamination analysis using sedimentation and floatation methods.
The results showed that 14.6% of the vegetable samples were contaminated with various pathogenic (5.2%) and non-pathogenic (9.4%) parasites including protozoan cyst (3.7%), worm eggs (3.9%), and free-living larvae (7%). Giardia intestinalis (1.3%) and Entamoeba coli (2.3%) were the only protozoa that were detected in the samples. Frequencies of worm egg contamination were 1.6% for Taenia/Echinococcus spp., 0.5% for Dicrocoelium dendriticum, 0.8% for Toxocara spp., 0.5% for Hymenolepis nana, 0.3% for Trichostrongylus spp., and 0.3% for Fasciola spp. Leek was the most contaminated vegetable (31.7%), although there was no contamination in tarragon (P The results demonstrate the potential role of raw vegetables consumption in the transmission of parasitic infections in the area. Therefore, it is recommended for some necessary hygienic measures to be applied to increase the public health of the community.