Bacteriological survey of fresh pork sausage produced at establishments under Federal inspection. (25/46)

At the time of manufacture, 75% of 67 sets of finished fresh pork sausage collected in 44 plants had aerobic plate counts in the range of 500,000 or fewer/g; 88% contained 100 or fewer E. coli/g; and 75% contained 100 or fewer S. aureus/g (geometric means of 10 samples). Salmonellae were isolated from 28% of 529 samples of pork trimmings used for sausage, and from 28% of 560 finished sausage samples. Semiquantitative analysis revealed that salmonellae were at low levels; more than 80% of the salmonellae-positive samples were positive only in 25-g portions (negative in 1.0- and 0.1-g portions).  (+info)

Accumulation of only aflatoxin B 2 by a strain of Aspergillus flavus. (26/46)

A strain of Aspergillus flavus isolated from ground black pepper produced only aflatoxin B(2) on several natural substrates.  (+info)

Mycotoxin-producing strains of Penicillium viridicatum: classification into subgroups. (27/46)

Fifty-two isolates of Penicillium viridicatum Westling were divided into three groups based on ability to produce ochratoxin and/or citrinin, color, growth rate, type of growth, odor, and isolation source. Members of group I resemble one of the representative strains of P. viridicatum described in the literature; those belonging to group II differ from group I strains in several characteristics; group III is a heterogeneous series of highly variable isolates. Although three subgroupings can be recognized, retention of all isolates in the species P. viridicatum is deemed most appropriate at this time. Spore macerates of all isolates were examined for virus-like particles but none were detected.  (+info)

Effect of red chilli powder on DNA content of gastric aspirates. (28/46)

The intragastric infusion of red chilli powder in dosage of 1.6 and 0.8 g/hr caused a marked increase in the DNA content of the gastric aspirate compared with basal values for DNA. This observation suggests a rapid and marked exfoliation of gastric surface epithelial cells in human subjects given red chilli powder.  (+info)

Distribution of thermophilic aerobic sporeforming bacteria in food ingredients. (29/46)

Samples of sugar, starch, spices, and miscellaneous products were tested for thermophilic sporeformers of Bacillus to determine the dominant species present. Surface colonies selected at random were identified. Six species of Bacillus were isolated: B. stearothermophilus, B. coagulans, B. licheniformis, B. subtilis, B. circulans, and B. pumilus. Samples of starch and pepper were tested for thermophilic sporeformers of Bacillus to determine the distribution of rough and smooth variants. Colonies were classified as rough or smooth variants by colonial characteristics. The distribution of variant forms in these two products was significantly different. Starch samples showed predominantly rough variants; pepper samples showed predominantly smooth variants.  (+info)

Aflatoxin production in meats. II. Aged dry salamis and aged country cured hams. (30/46)

Italian-type salamis contaminated with Aspergillus flavus were more likely to develop aflatoxins during aging than were smoked Hungarian-type salamis under the same conditions. Temperatures below 15 C and humidities of less than 75% were found to prevent aflatoxin development during the aging of salami. The aging of salami for 8 weeks and the presence of curing ingredients, especially pepper and sodium nitrite, tended to reduce the amounts of aflatoxins found. Aflatoxins were produced by A. flavus and A. parasiticus on 6- to 9-month-old country cured hams during aging when the temperature approached 30 C.  (+info)

Lead poisoning in Gurkha soldiers in Hong Kong. (31/46)

Investigation of an outbreak of lead-poisoning in 121 Gurkha soldiers showed that this was due to the contamination of chilli powder (cayenne pepper), a constituent of curry powder, with lead chromate. Comprehensive systems of food sampling are needed in developing communities.  (+info)

Microflora of black and red pepper. (32/46)

Dilution cultures of 30 samples of ground black pepper yielded an average of 39,000 colonies of fungi per g, with a range of 1,700 to 310,000 per g. Total numbers of colonies of bacteria from 11 samples averaged 194,000,000 per g, with a range from 8,300,000 to 704,000,000 per g. A variety of fungi grew from nearly all surface-disinfected whole peppercorns that were cultured. Thirteen samples of ground red pepper from the United States yielded an average of 1,600 colonies of storage fungi per g and an equal number of other fungi; five samples from India yielded an average of 78,900 colonies of storage fungi per g and 169,400 colonies of other fungi per g. Among the fungi from both black and red pepper were Aspergillus flavus and A. ochraceus, some isolates of which, when grown for 8 to 10 days on moist autoclaved corn and fed to white rats or to 2-day-old Pekin ducklings, were rapidly lethal to them. Aflatoxin B(1) was isolated from one of the samples of corn on which A. flavus from black pepper was grown. Among the bacteria isolated from ground black pepper were Escherichia coli, E. freudii, Serratia sp., Klebsiella sp., Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., and Streptococcus sp. No cultures of Shigella or Salmonella were found.  (+info)