Open AccessMicrobiological Status and Quality Traits of Ready-to-Eat Minimally Processed Vegetables Sold in Córdoba, Argentina
Author(s) -
María Lucía Baraquet,
Ornella Francina Camiletti,
C.I. Moretti,
L.E. Rodríguez,
Carolina Vázquez,
María Georgina Oberto
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of food quality and hazards control
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.18
H-Index - 10
eISSN - 2345-6825
pISSN - 2345-685X
DOI - 10.18502/jfqhc.8.3.7198
Subject(s) - food science , salmonella , biology , staphylococcus aureus , bacteria , genetics
Background: The changes and the availability of processed foods have increased the demand for ready-to-eat foods, such as Minimally Processed Vegetables (MPVs). The purpose of this work was to evaluate the microbiological status and quality traits of the MPVs obtained from retail outlets of Córdoba, Argentina.
Methods: Totally, 60 MPVs of 12 brands (30 single-ingredient salads and 30 mixed salad trays) were randomly sampled from different retail outlets of Córdoba, Argentina. The samples were analyzed according to international standards for Total Coliforms (TC), Fecal Coliforms (FC), Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Yeast and Molds (YM). The quality traits (respect to physical and sensory properties) of the MPVs were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed with InfoStat.
Results: All 60 MPV samples were positive for TC, ranging from 1.32 to 3.38 log Most Probable Number (MPN)/g. FC counts ranged from 0.30 to 1.95 log MPN/g. Out of 60 samples, 15 (25%) were positive for E. coli. Three brands of mixed trays were positive for S. aureus. Regarding sensory characteristics, the parameters such as freshness, turgid, normal color, decay, and dehydration were compliance in 42 out of 60 (70%) samples.
Conclusion: Some MPVs sampled from Córdoba, Argentina showed low microbiological quality and imperfect quality traits.