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Background:Using garlic is widespread in Iran and other countries as a medicine and a natural spice. Garlic is a potential inhibitor for food pathogens. Foods contaminated with pathogens pose a potential danger to the consumer’s health. The use of garlic can increase the shelf life and decrease the possibilities of food poisoning and spoilage in processed foods.Objectives:The aim of this study was to investigate the antibacterial effect of garlic aqueous extract on growth of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria.Materials and Methods:In this study, the garlic aqueous extract was prepared under sterile conditions and was added in 1, 2, and 3 mL to 100g hamburger samples. A group of samples was prepared to be used as treatment sample, while a group was stored at 4°C and -18°C. The samples were kept in refrigerator for one and two weeks and they were frozen for one, two and three months and then subjected to microbial tests.Results:Statistical evaluation of the first and second week samples indicated a significant growth decreased by all the 1, 2, and 3-mL extracts. In treatment of one, two and three-month samples, the growth of S. aureus was significantly decreased by the 2 and 3-mL extracts. The 1-mL extract was effective in decreasing the growth, and a significant difference was observed in treatments with 2 and 3-mL extracts. However, there was no significant difference between the two and three-month samples, though they were significantly different from the one-month samples. After evaluations, treatment with the 2-mL extract was found to be the best one.Conclusions:Garlic aqueous extract has antibacterial properties against S. aureus present in hamburger. Moreover, garlic aqueous extract can be used not only as a flavor but also as a natural additive for hamburger. In addition, garlic has antibacterial properties against other Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, which must be investigated in further studies.

The concentration of total mercury (Hg) and arsenic (As) has been measured in edible and non-edible tissues (flesh, viscera, gill, skin, fin and tail) of two species of tuna fish including 15 yellowfin (Thunnus albacares) and 15 skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis). They were fished from Chabahar port, the Oman Sea, Iran, in April-May 2011. Atomic absorption spectrometer equipped with cold vapour and hydride generation system was used to determine total concentrations of Hg and As after microwave digestion. Based on the results, the highest and the lowest Hg contents (wet weight basis) in yellowfin and skipjack were observed in viscera (1.29±0.06 and 1.15±0.04 µg/g), and fin and tail (0.48±0.04 and 0.30±0.08 µg/g), respectively. Furthermore, the highest level of As accumulation in yellowfin and skipjack was found in skin (1.99±0.35 and 2.17±0.20 µg/g, respectively), while the lowest was measured in fin and tail (0.19±0.04 and 0.23±0.03 µg/g, respectively). Most yellowfin samples had significantly more heavy metals than skipjack samples (P<0.05). Total Hg and As levels of the flesh of fish were found to be lower than the maximum permissible limit set by the European commission and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Therefore, the complete separation of edible and non-edible tissues during the process of canning tuna fish is critical.

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