Traditional production and quality perception of grilled pork consumed in Benin

QUALISANI (PRD ARES-CCD

Microbiological quality of grilled pork, smoked and smoked-dried fish in Benin : problems and improvements

Grilled pork (GP), smoked fish (SF) and smoked-dried fish (SDF) are popular foods in Benin. They are processed by small cottage industries for direct consumption at household level, as street food, or are intended for local and sub-regional markets. Although playing important socio-economic and nutritional roles, the conditions under which these foods are processed make their safety questionable. This study aimed to assess and improve their microbiological quality. This work first consisted in a survey from processors with the aim to review the local knowledge on technologies of production of GP, SF and SDF. Practices of processing raw pork into GP and fresh fish into SF and SDF, the storage conditions applied, and the quality attributes of the end products were documented. The microbiological quality of GP, SF and SDF as sold to consumers were then assessed through samples collected from various processors. Out of 60 samples investigated, 26 (43%) were not compliant with acceptable limits recommended by the Health Protection Agency (HPA) for Aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB), Enterobacteriaceae, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfringens. Furthermore, microbial density of moulds up to 6 Log10 CFU g-1 was recorded in some samples. No sample contained Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus or Listeria monocytogenes. A metagenomics approach was also used to explore the bacterial diversity of SF and SDF. The 48 SF and SDF samples randomly collected displayed substantial diversity profiles. Through a follow-up of processing trials, performed by experienced processors, several quality-compromising practices related to processors, raw material, processing methods and equipment were identified. Based on these results, improved processing practices adapted to the cottage industries of pork grilling and fish smoking were proposed and implemented by the processors, and the safety of the end products was assessed. 100% of samples exhibited AMB loads ranged from 1.0 to 2.8 Log10 CFU g-1, which were far below the acceptable limit of 7.0 Log10 CFU g-1 recommended by HPA. Furthermore, Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, B. cereus, C. perfringens and yeasts were not detected. Finally, a storage experiment was carried out on SDF using cardboard paper and old clothes as traditionally practiced by processors, and heat-sealed plastic bag as new packaging mode. The results showed that the storage in plastic bag preserved the microbiological quality and organoleptic properties of SDF for at least 180 days, while with the traditional method, a loss of safety and sensory quality was observed already after 30 and 60-day storage, respectively.(AGRO - Sciences agronomiques et ingénierie biologique) -- UCL, 202

Sanitary quality and bacteriological antibiotic-resistance pattern of frozen raw chicken meat sold in retail market in Benin

To cover the meat needs of its population, Benin imports large quantities of raw frozen chicken meat from the European Union, United States and Brazil. Consumers can purchase this meat either in open markets (OM) or in frozen meat retail stores (FMRS). The present study aimed to assess the safety of imported raw chicken sold in Benin and the antibiotics susceptibility of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas spp. isolates retrieved from these foodstuffs. Seventy-two samples of imported raw chicken (36 from OM and 36 from FMRS) were randomly purchased from different retail outlets in May 2021 and May 2023 and analyzed using standard microbiological methods. Fifty-two, 36 and 58 isolates of E. coli, S. aureus and Pseudomonas spp., respectively, were tested for their susceptibility to antimicrobials. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) and Pseudomonas spp. were the most frequent and dominant flora with density reaching 9.4 and 7.5 Log10 CFU/g, respectively. The highest microbial load recorded for E. coli, S. aureus, Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were 7.0, 4.6, 3.7, 2.4 and 1.4 Log10 CFU/g, respectively, while 73.6, 55.5, 33.3, 2.8 and 1.4 % of the samples tested positive for these bacteria, respectively. None of the samples contained Salmonella spp. Samples collected in OM had concentrations of AMB, Pseudomonas spp., S. aureus and E. coli significantly higher (p  0.05) between samples collected in FMRS over the two sampling periods. The frequencies of multidrug resistant (MDR) E. coli, S. aureus and Pseudomonas spp. were 21.2, 36.1 and 32.8 %, respectively. This study highlights the fact that frozen chicken meat purchased by consumers from retailers in Benin is not always of good quality, with a health risk related to S. aureus and/or L. monocytogenes, emphasizing the need for improvements in hygienic and preservation practices. In addition, this study revealed that imported frozen chicken meat can be a potential source of MDR bacteria

Processing methods, preservation practices and quality attributes of smoked and smoked-dried fishes consumed in Benin

Field Investigations were carried out on traditional processing of fresh fish into smoked fish (SF) and smoked-dried fish (SDF) in southern regions of Benin. A total of 429 stakeholders were interviewed, and data were analysed using Sphinx survey plus2. Factorial Correspondence Analyses were performed with SPSS v16 to reveal both links between fish species, processing methods, and their distribution according to surveyed areas, and links between types of kilns and fuels used, and socio-cultural groups of processors. The results showed that SF and SDF were essentially produced by women (100%), and 32 species of fish were used for SF and SDF production. The smoking kilns used by processors were barrel kiln (67.7%), traditional kiln in clay (31.5%) and Chorkor (5.6%). The direct functioning mode of smoking kilns associated with the use of wood, plastic bags and kerosene as fuels could lead to the contamination of end-products by toxic molecules. Likewise, unsuitable preservation practices including the use of insecticide to prevent harmful insect invasion could not ensure the safety of stored products. Therefore, it would be needful to upgrade both smoking kilns and preservation practices to ensure the safety of processed fish

Performances of the barrel kiln used in cottage industry for fish processing and effects on physicochemical characteristics and safety of smoked fish products

BACKGROUND In the traditional food sector, the smoking process and smoking-drying process are widely used to increase the shelf-life of seafood products. The smoking process and smoking-drying process are mainly performed using barrel kiln and wood as fuel in many West African countries. The present study evaluated the performances of the barrel kiln and its effects on physicochemical characteristics and safety of smoked fish (SF) and smoked-dried fish (SDF). Twelve follow-ups were conducted with three experimental processors and 24 samples of fish collected at different steps of processing were analyzed in a laboratory using standard methods. RESULTS The extreme values of combustion temperature recorded during the smoking process (456.4 °C) and smoking-drying process (482.8 °C) were higher than 450 °C, the temperature at which wood pyrolysis generates polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Smoked fish were highly contaminated with PAHs, and showed maximal levels of benzo[a]pyrene (52.7 μg kg−1) and PAH4 (i.e. sum of benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, benzo[b]fluoranthene and benz[a]anthracene) (290.9 μg kg−1) exceeding the European Union limits by about 25-fold. After smoking of Scomber scombrus and smoking-drying of Cypselurus cyanopterus, no significant differences were recorded for lipid, protein and biogenic amine contents between fresh and processed fish, even if the histamine content of both fish exceeded the limit fixed by the European Union regulation. CONCLUSION The results obtained in the present study showed that smoked fish and smoked-dried fish produced using barrel kiln and wood fuel are highly contaminated by PAHs. Therefore, there is a need to improve the preservation practices of raw fish and smoking conditions to limit the contamination of end-products by PAHs known to be carcinogenic components for humans and to ensure consumer safety. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry

Consumption and physico‐chemical characteristics of smoked and smoked‐dried fish commonly produced in South Benin and contribution to recommended nutrient intakes

The work aims to assess the consumption and the physico-chemical characteristics of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish commonly produced and consumed in the South Benin. The consumption data were obtained from a survey involving 250 consumers, conducted in selected production localities of the Southern part of Benin, where 36 samples of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish were collected. The highest protein contents (dry matter) were recorded in Cypselurus cyanopterus (85.1 ± 2.3%) and Sphyraena barracuda (84.5 ± 4.2%), while the highest lipid contents were recorded in Scomber scombrus (39.0 ± 9.2%) and Ethmalosa fimbriata (22.1 ± 6.3%). Smoked and smoked-dried fish produced in South Benin contained 0.1%-12.5% (of total fatty acids) eicosapentaenoic acid and 0.1%-33.2% docosahexaenoic acid, which are the most abundant omega 3 polyunsaturated acids in these fish products. The median consumption of smoked fish (60.2 g/day) and smoked-dried fish (18.2 g/day) contributed for 112% (281.1 mg) and 72% (180.4 mg), respectively, to the adult daily recommended intake of sum of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (250 mg/day). The daily protein intake related to the consumption of smoked fish and smoked-dried fish corresponded to 36% and 24%, respectively, of the recommended intake suggested by European Food Safety Authority (0.8 g/kg.bw/day)