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Sweet, semi-dry and semi-sweet red wine samples from two vine-growing regions in Romania:Vrancea and Recaș were analyzed aiming to show their main chemical properties including heavy metal content, and, microbiological characteristics. The chemical analysis showed that the semidry wine (W1) has a high polyphenol content, permanganate index and content of Fe, Zn and Cu, but the lowest content of anthocyanins, sugar and Mn; the total acidity of semi-sweet wine W3 was the highest, while the semi-sweet wine W2 contained the highest concentrations of anthocyanins and SO2. No contamination with yeasts, molds and bacteria was found when opening the wine bottles, these colonies having grown one month after opening. The importance of this article comes from the comprehensive presentation of the connections among the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of sweet to semi-sweet red wines, or to semi-dry from two vinegrowing regions in Romania: Vrancea and Recaș.

The increasing of the organic foods consumption to prevent the loss of cultural and social traditions that have survived for centuries, requires a proper assessment of the safety and quality of these products. The purpose of this study was the microbiological analysis of smoked cheese and non-smoked cheese, in order to assess the antimicrobial effect of smoke, as well as the determination of water-soluble phenolic compounds. The microbiological analyzes that were performed are: total number of aerobic mesophilic germs, coliform bacteria, coagulase-positive staphylococci, total number of yeasts and molds. The Folin–Ciocalteu test was chosen to measure total phenolic content of smoked cheese extracts. Microbial activity is reduced in smoked cheese types compared to non-smoked. The registered values were below the maximum admissible limits in the case of the total aerobic germs and shown coliform absence and inhibation in the growth of coagulase-positive staphylococci. Yeast and molds have been also inhibited through the smoking process. The total content of phenols varied from one assortment to another, with higher values in traditionally smoked cheese. The study shows that the microbiological quality of the cheese is greatly influenced by the hygienic conditions of processing and storage.

During June, 2017, ten products from the food bases category have been studied. The companies and the products types were noted and the manufacturer’s labels were studied. It has been found that the rules on the labeling of food bases are respected. The study had the following objectives: studying the ingredients and the nutritional composition and identifying the additives used in the manufacture of the product. Studying product labels also highlighted an increased salt and sugar content. The percentage of dehydrated vegetables was between 4.49% and 38%. The vegetables content was different for the food bases investigated. The 40% of food bases had between nine and ten dehydrated vegetables, the 60% had between four and six dehydrated vegetables. Additives added to foods during processing are important to improve their appearance and to extend their shelf life.

The milk samples were yielded by manual milking from a goat farm that was maintained in extensive system, at monthly intervals during the production period (spring, summer, autumn). Goat milk from a traditional stall in the Maramures County, depending on the lactation period and the season has been analyzed in this study. The milk samples were collected aseptically and transported in laboratory for microbiological analysis. During springtime, when milking is done three times a day, and the amount of milk is higher, the total number of germs is 77.8×103 CFU/ml. A smaller number compared to the number of microorganisms recorded in the summer (97.3×103 CFU/ml) when milking is done twice a day and there are higher temperatures. During autumn, in the conditions of low milk production, at the end of the lactation period and when the samples are harvested only once a day, the number of microorganisms was 81.5×103 CFU /ml. Somatic cells from milk indicating an excess of the normal values especially towards the end of the lactation period. Particular attention should be paid to hygiene conditions when handling milk, to improve its quality. Thus, goat milk has a higher bacterial load (SPC) during summer, and SCC exceeds the recommended limits, especially in the autumn.