In recent years, consumers who enjoy ethnic foods have increased in number and ethnic restaurants have become popular in Europe and also in Italy. From 2011 to 2014, this catering sector grew by 1.6%. It counts about 190,000 throughout the country and this number is expected to grow [1]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of some ethnic ready-to-eat foods retailed in Tuscany. From September 2016 to March 2017, 185 food samples were collected from take-away shops in 4 Tuscany provinces (LI, LU, PI, PO). The samples included various types of ready-to-eat foods that were stored precooked for reheating on demand: 101 Chinese foods (47 pig/beef meat, 34 fish, 17 poultry meat and 3 eggs), 70 kebabs (35 sandwiches and 35 meat alone) and 14 Turkish or Indian foodstuff (8 poultry meat and 6 mixed meat). The food samples were analyzed within 4 hours after they were purchased. The analyses were focused on the main safety and hygiene indicator microorganisms. Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica were investigated using the methods prescribed by the relevant ISO standards. All samples were negative for Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from one Chinese sample, a fish soup. As concern CPS, 82/185 samples (44.32%) presented bacterial counts under detectable limit, 84/185 (45.40%) between 102 and 105 CFU/g and 19/185 (10.27%) above 105 CFU/g. Regarding Enterobacteriaceae 102/185 samples (55.13%) showed bacterial counts under detectable limit, 63/185 (34.05%) between 102 and 105 CFU/g and 20/185 (10.81%) exceeding 105 CFU/g. For E. coli, 168/185 samples (90.81%) presented bacterial counts under detectable limit and 17/185 (9.19%) between102 and 105 CFU/g. A percentage of 4.86% samples showed bacterial counts above 105 CFU/g for both CPS and Enterobacteriaceae, specifically 6 Chinese foods (2 pig/beef meat, 2 poultry meat, 2 fish) and 3 kebab sandwiches. The results of this investigation show that all samples except one resulted negative for major bacterial pathogens, in accordance with studies of other authors [2;3]; besides many samples presented low bacterial contamination. However, few samples showed high bacterial contamination, especially for Enterobacteriaceae and CPS. Although final heating reduces the levels of microorganisms present in foods, it can’t inactivate any toxins if present. Hence, preliminary results suggest the need to improve good hygiene practices in take-away restaurants, in particular handling in ready-to-eat products. [1] http://www.coldiretti.it/News/Pagine/612----6-Settembre-2015.aspx; [2] Catellani et al. Survey on the microbiological quality of Chinese food preparations. Vet Res Commun. 2010 34 Suppl 1, 183-7; [3] Nassi et al. Döner kebab retailed on the Lucca area: results of surveillance activity. A.I.V.I. Marzo 2010 n.7.
Microbiological quality of ethnic ready-to-eat foods sold in Tuscany: preliminary results
Nuvoloni R.;Bertelloni F.;CECCANTI, COSTANZA;Pedonese F.
2017-01-01
Abstract
In recent years, consumers who enjoy ethnic foods have increased in number and ethnic restaurants have become popular in Europe and also in Italy. From 2011 to 2014, this catering sector grew by 1.6%. It counts about 190,000 throughout the country and this number is expected to grow [1]. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of some ethnic ready-to-eat foods retailed in Tuscany. From September 2016 to March 2017, 185 food samples were collected from take-away shops in 4 Tuscany provinces (LI, LU, PI, PO). The samples included various types of ready-to-eat foods that were stored precooked for reheating on demand: 101 Chinese foods (47 pig/beef meat, 34 fish, 17 poultry meat and 3 eggs), 70 kebabs (35 sandwiches and 35 meat alone) and 14 Turkish or Indian foodstuff (8 poultry meat and 6 mixed meat). The food samples were analyzed within 4 hours after they were purchased. The analyses were focused on the main safety and hygiene indicator microorganisms. Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci (CPS), Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Yersinia enterocolitica were investigated using the methods prescribed by the relevant ISO standards. All samples were negative for Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes. Y. enterocolitica was isolated from one Chinese sample, a fish soup. As concern CPS, 82/185 samples (44.32%) presented bacterial counts under detectable limit, 84/185 (45.40%) between 102 and 105 CFU/g and 19/185 (10.27%) above 105 CFU/g. Regarding Enterobacteriaceae 102/185 samples (55.13%) showed bacterial counts under detectable limit, 63/185 (34.05%) between 102 and 105 CFU/g and 20/185 (10.81%) exceeding 105 CFU/g. For E. coli, 168/185 samples (90.81%) presented bacterial counts under detectable limit and 17/185 (9.19%) between102 and 105 CFU/g. A percentage of 4.86% samples showed bacterial counts above 105 CFU/g for both CPS and Enterobacteriaceae, specifically 6 Chinese foods (2 pig/beef meat, 2 poultry meat, 2 fish) and 3 kebab sandwiches. The results of this investigation show that all samples except one resulted negative for major bacterial pathogens, in accordance with studies of other authors [2;3]; besides many samples presented low bacterial contamination. However, few samples showed high bacterial contamination, especially for Enterobacteriaceae and CPS. Although final heating reduces the levels of microorganisms present in foods, it can’t inactivate any toxins if present. Hence, preliminary results suggest the need to improve good hygiene practices in take-away restaurants, in particular handling in ready-to-eat products. [1] http://www.coldiretti.it/News/Pagine/612----6-Settembre-2015.aspx; [2] Catellani et al. Survey on the microbiological quality of Chinese food preparations. Vet Res Commun. 2010 34 Suppl 1, 183-7; [3] Nassi et al. Döner kebab retailed on the Lucca area: results of surveillance activity. A.I.V.I. Marzo 2010 n.7.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
