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A Microbial Investigation of Selected Spices, Herbs, and Additives in South Africa
Author(s) -
BAXTER R.,
HOLZAPFEL W. H.
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1982.tb10125.x
Subject(s) - pepper , food science , cereus , bacillus cereus , biology , white rice , bacteria , genetics
A total of thirty‐six spices, herbs and food additives from various sources was investigated. High total viable numbers of sporeformers were present of which a considerable percentage was proteolytic and/or amylolytic. The total number of colony forming units (c.f.u.) varied from several hundred to several million per gram, depending on the source, the manufacturing process, age and type of condiment. Exceptionally high contamination (i.e. > 10 6 c.f.u./g) was found in black pepper, coriander, paprika, mace, pimento and white pepper from source A. No significant numbers of potentially pathogenic organisms were found except for B. cereus , moulds and faecal streptococci. The presence of B. cereus was confirmed in 7 out of 19 samples from source A. Enterococci were isolated and identified from paprika, white pepper, black pepper, pimento, onion powder and salamita. The need for spice cleanliness, commercial sterilization and subsequent proper storage of condiments is stressed.