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In this study, mineral element and heavy metal levels in bee pollen produced in various regions of Turkey (20 samples) and imported bee pollen (4 samples), were determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Dptical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-DES) device. Mineral and heavy metal levels of bee pollens produced in Turkey were determined to be within the following ranges (minimum-maximum, µg/g pollen); Cr (chromium): 0.

The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological air quality (psychrotrophic bacteria and airborne fungi) and distribution of fungi in different types of ready-to-eat (RTE) food-storage refrigerators (n=48) at selected retail stores in the city of Edirne, Turkey. Refrigerators were categorized according to the type of RTE food-storage: meat products, vegetables, desserts, or a mix of food types. Microbiological quality of air samples was evaluated by using a Mas-100 Eco Air Sampler. Four refrigerators (all containing meat products, 8.3%) produced air samples with undetectable microorganisms. The highest detected mean value of airborne psychrotrophic bacteria and fungi was 82.3 CFU/m 3 and 54.6 CFU/m 3 , respectively and were found in mixed-food refrigerators. The dominant airborne fungal genera found were Penicillium (29.0%), Aspergillus (12.0%), Mucor (9%), Cladosporium (8%), Botyrtis (7%), and Acremonium (6%). By definition, RTE food does not undergo a final treatment to ensure its safety prior to consumption. Therefore, ensuring a clean storage environment for these foods is important to prevent food-borne disease and other health risks.

ABSTRACT:The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial efficacy of curcumin, one of the active components of the Curcuma longa (turmeric) plant, against food pathogens in a minced meat medium. Salmonella Typhimurium ATCC 14028, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 7644, Escherichia coli O157:H7 ATCC 33150 and S. aureus ATCC 25923 strains were used as food pathogens. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined using the macrodilution method. MIC values for curcumin were found to be 125 µg/ml for L. monocytogenes and S. aureus, and 250 µg/ml for S. Typhimurium and E. coli O157:H7. Food pathogens were added to the minced meat at 10 4 CFU/g (including the control group) and curcumin at doses of 0.5%, 1% and 2% (except the control). The curcumin-supplemented minced meat and control were analysed 0-7 days later. At the end of seven days, it was seen that the 2% dose of curcumin had lowered L. monocytogenes and S. aureus counts by approximately 3 log CFU/g, and E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium counts by approximately 2 log CFU/g; the 1% dose had lowered L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium counts by approximately 2 log CFU/g; and that the 0.5% curcumin dose had lowered L. monocytogenes and S. aureus count by approximately 2 log CFU/g, and E. coli O157:H7 and S. Typhimurium count by approximately 1 log CFU/g. Changes in bacterial counts were found to be statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05). It was observed that antibacterial effect increased in direct proportion to dose, while sensory approval decreased. In this study, 0.5% and 1% curcumin doses were determined to be sensorily acceptable. It was concluded that, in view of the scientific benefits and antimicrobial efficacy of curcumin, it may be used instead of, or in smaller doses together with preservative additives in foods where colour change is not important.

In recent years, non-thermal technology has been used for the enrichment of ultrasound bioactive components. For this purpose, it was applied to tomato vinegar and modeled with response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN). At the end of the RSM, cupric reducing antioxidant capacity (68.64%), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (62.47%), total flavonoid content (2.44 mg CE/mL), total phenolic content (12.22 mg GAE/mL), total ascorbic acid content (2.53 mg/100 mL) and total lycopene (5.44 μg/mL) were determined. The ANN model has higher prediction accuracy than RSM. The microstructure, microbiological properties, sensory analysis, ACE (angiotensin-converting–enzyme) inhibitor and antidiabetic effects of the ultrasound-treated tomato vinegar (UTV) (8.9 min and 74.5 amplitude), traditional tomato vinegar (TTV) and pasteurized tomato vinegar (PTV) samples were then evaluated. UTV was generally appreciated by the panelists. It was determined that the microbiological properties were affected by the ultrasound treatment. UTV was found to have more effective ACE inhibitor and antidiabetic properties than other vinegar samples. As a result, the bioactive components of tomato vinegar were enriched with ultrasound treatment and positive effects on health were determined.