Journal of Food Quality and Hazards Control
Volume:10 Issue: 1, Mar 2023

Minerals are required for human body to function properly. The purpose of this study was to find if these canned, jarred, and packaged foods are a good source of sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) in Nigerian diets.

Totally, 188 samples of canned, packaged, and jarred foods were collected from malls, local markets, and street vendors; and then they were divided into eight food groups. After microwave-assisted digestion; the Na, K, Ca, and Mg contents of canned, packaged, and jarred foods commonly consumed in South-East Nigeria were determined using micro-sampling Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry. The results obtained were subjected to ordinary statistical analysis and presented as box plots. All statistical analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20 software.

Ca was the most abundant micronutrient in all samples, reaching levels above 0.7 g/100 g in the milk and milk products group, followed by Mg at levels above 0.2 g/100 g. Na was the scarcest micronutrient with levels ranging from 0.040 to 0.065 g/100 g across food groups. K level also varied reaching levels above 0.070 g/100 g in the beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic). The mean concentration (g/100 g) of Ca (0.782±0.313) and Mg (0.202±0.044) in milk and milk products were within the national reference standard by National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control for such micronutrients. However, the Na, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations of the various food groups were all lower than the international standards.

It is concluded that some efforts are necessary to improve the nutritional quality of canned, jarred, and packaged foods distributed in Nigeria.

Leafy vegetables could be contaminated with parasitic infective stages, making them possible sources of human parasitic infections. This study aimed to assess parasites contamination level among five different leafy vegetables collected from open marketplaces in Giza, Egypt.

Hundred vegetable samples were collected from dill, parsley, coriander, rocca, and mint (20 of each). Samples were processed using sedimentation and concentration methods and the sediments were examined as wet smears either unstained or stained with Lugol's iodine. Also, modified trichrome and Ziehl-Neelsen stains were used to detect Microsporidia spores and coccidian oocysts. Statistical software SPSS version 20 was used for data analysis.

A total of 86% of the examined samples were found contaminated with parasite's eggs, cysts, oocysts, and larvae. Coriander was the most contaminated vegetable with contamination rate of 95% while dill was the least contaminated (80%). Also, protozoan parasites contamination rate (77.1%) was higher than helminths parasites contamination rate (22.9%). Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was the most prevalent parasite (40.6%) followed by Blastocystis hominis (39.5%), Ascaris lumbricoides (18.6%), Cyclospora spp. (15.11%), Giardia lamblia (11.6%), E. coli (9.3%); while Cryptosporidium spp., Iodamoeba bütschlii, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis, Fasciola, and hookworms’ eggs were the least prevalent parasites (1.1%).

Leafy vegetables in Giza, Egypt had an extremely high parasite contamination rate. So, consuming such vegetables without proper washing facilitates transmission of parasitic infections which could pose a major health risk to Egyptians.

The antioxidant activity of Bane (Pistacia atlantica) has been proved in different researches. This study evaluated the potential of Bane (Pistacia atlantica) essential oil (as a natural antioxidant) on the oxidative stability of sunflower oil. 

The essence of Bane was added to sunflower oil at concentrations of 200, 400,600,800, and 1,000 ppm. Tertiary Butyl Hydroquinone (TBHQ) was applied as synthetic antioxidant. All samples with the control were stored at 65 ̊C for 20 days. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry was used for the essence analysis. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay, rancimat, p-anisidine value (P-AnVs), and peroxide value (PV) were determined to assess the efficacy of differecnt concentration of essence (200, 400,600,800, and 1,000 ppm). Data were analyzed by Statistical Analysis System (SAS) version 9 Software.

The essential oil yield was 0.1% v/w. The basic components of essence were monoterpene and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons. Synthetic antioxidant had the highest scavenging activity, followed by the mixture sample. PVs were in the range of 19.56-20.73 milliequivalents (meq)/kg for the treated samples after 20 days, while it was 38.74 on the 20th day for the control. For all treatments, PV was increased with increasing storage time. P-AnVs were 8.58-17.14 for stabilized samples and 18.02 for control sample on the 20th day of storage. In all stages, control sample had the highest P-AnV. For all samples, P-AnV increased as a subject of storage time.

P. atlantica (Bane) essential oil had a stabilizing effect on sunflower oil and can be used as a natural antioxidant to stabilize edible oil during storage.

The demand for vegetable oils is on the increase. Deep frying is the commonest method by which vegetable oils are consumed. The aim of this study was to extract oil from an underutilized oil seed and compare its physicochemical properties, frying, and oxidative stability with those of commercial refined palm oil.

Oil was extracted from Monodora myristica seeds using a soxhlet fat extractor and the percentage oil yield was determined. The physicochemical, oxidative, and frying stabilities of the extracted M. myristica Seed Oil (MMSO) were evaluated based on the standard procedure of the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists and official methods and recommended practices of the American Oil Chemists Society and compared with those of commercial refined palm oil- Kings Vegetable Oil (KVO). Data were statistically analyzed using SPSS version 20.

The oil yield of M. myristica seed was 37.64%. The refractive index, specific gravity, moisture content (%), and peroxide value (mEq/kg) were respectively 1.470, 1.468, 0.923, and 0.917 for MMSO; and 0.220, 0.253, 1.05, and 3.50 for KVO. MMSO had better oxidative stability and showed 80% lesser peroxide formation than KVO. The frying stability of MMSO was better as it showed a lower increase in FFA (28.4%) and peroxide value (9.54 mEq/kg) than KVO (45.99% and 26.19 mEq/kg, respectively) after frying.

Deteriorative effect of oxidation and polymerization was lower in MMSO than in KVO indicating MMSO to be superior frying oil suitable for repeated frying.

Fermented foods are gaining interest because of their ability to improve health, as well as their good taste, and the desire of many to eat them. This investigation aimed to enhance the chemical and physical properties, sensory evaluation, and shelf life of fermented orange juice by adding liquid hibiscus leave (Hibiscus sabdariffa) and potato peel (Solanum tuberosum) extracts.

The extracts of hibiscus leaves and potato peel were added to fermented orange juice, and the samples were divided into five parts. Two parts with different concentrations of hibiscus leave extracts (5%, FHL5 and 10%, FHL10), and the other two parts with different concentrations of potato peel extracts (5%, FPP5 and 10%, FPP10). The Fifth part was fermented orange juice without any additives (PC). Then, they were estimated for the acidity, total solid solution, viscosity, carbohydrates, vitamin C, antioxidants profile, color, total microbial count, and sensory evaluation during storage time at 4±2 °C. Statistical analysis was done by IBM SPSS  version 25.0 software.

The results showed no significant mean difference (p>0.05) between samples in acidity. FHL10 registered the highest values in total solid solution, vitamin C, antioxidants profile, and sensory evaluation, while FPP10 registered the highest values in viscosity and total microbial count. Also, FPP10 registered the highest values in overall acceptability (8.85±0.24, 8.78±0.26, 8.71±0.26, and 8.78±0.26 at zero, 7th, 14th, and 21st days of storage time, respectively) followed by FPP5 with no significant mean difference values (p>0.05).

The extracts of hibiscus leaves and potato peel can improve acceptability and shelf life of fermented orange juice summarized in the enhancement vitamin content, antioxidants profile, color, and sensory properties.

Canned foods may be contaminated with microbes and primarily with spore-forming bacteria. This study was designed to give information about microbial load of canned foods imported through Ibrahim Khalil International Border, Iraq.

Total of 119 samples of canned foods comprising 35 poultry meats, 40 fishes, and 44 tomato pastes were collected from Ibrahim Khalil International Border. Using conventional protocols, samples were evaluated for total plate counts (aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms), spoilage pathogenic, and coliform organisms. The obtained results were analysed by One-Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) suing GraphPad Prism (V.5.01).

The total aerobic plate counts at 37 °C incubation were 1.30±0.2 log Colony Forming Unit (CFU)/g in canned meats, 1.32±0.3 log CFU/g for fishes, and tomato paste accounts for 2.11±0.5 log CFU/g. On the other hand, the counts of anaerobic plate were 0.95±0.2 log CFU/g in meat samples, 1.08±0.2 log CFU/g for fishes, and tomatoes were scored at 0.95±0.2 log CFU/g. Bacillus subtilis, B. coagulans, Clostridium perfringens, and Klebsiella spp. were recovered from some of the canned samples.

Canned tomatoes and fishes relatively had more microorganisms than the poultry meat products. These data suggested that poor hygiene standards in the processing line may result in microbial control loss.

In recent years, Acinetobacter spp. have emerged as opportunistic food-borne pathogens worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the tolerance to chlorhexidine by Acinetobacter spp. isolated from foods that are handled and consumed without any prior heat treatment.

Eleven Acinetobacter spp. isolates from ready-to-eat salads and four from raw goat milk were previously collected. The samples were evaluated for tolerance to Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CG) based on the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and the Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). The evaluation was performed using the dilution method in titration microplates. Statistical analysis by GraphPad software was performed using the t-test to compare the values.

The MIC and MBC of CG varied according to the origin of the isolates. Goat milk Acinetobacter spp. isolates were inhibited at MIC and MBC of £7.8 ppm CG. For most Acinetobacter spp. isolated from salads, however, MIC and MBC values ranged between 31.2-62.5 ppm, which are values generally correlated with clinical isolates. An MIC of 250 ppm was verified for only one isolate (F2R21).

Even food isolates can present MIC and MBC values for CG comparable to those of multidrug resistant isolates from clinical origin, suggesting that this sanitizer should be used sparingly for food handlers.