Applications of Medicinal Herbs and Essential Oils in Food Safety

In the last few years, more and more studies on the biological properties of essential oils (EOs) especially antimicrobial and antioxidant properties in vitro and food model have been published in all parts of the world. But so far no comprehensive reports of these studies have been reported in food model from Iran. The focus of this overview lies in the using of EOs from some indigenous medicinal plants of Iran (including Mentha longifolia, Cuminum cyminum, Teucrium polium, Pimpinella anisum and Allium ascalonicum) in probiotic dairy products (especially cheese, yoghurt and Aryan) in recent years. Recently, consumers have developed an ever-increasing interest in natural products as alternatives for artificial additives or pharmacologically relevant agents. Among them, EOs have gained great popularity in the food, cosmetic as well as pharmaceutical industries. Despite the reportedly strong antimicrobial activity of EOs against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms, their practical application as preservatives is currently limited owing to the undesirable flavour changes they cause in food products. Nonetheless, more studies are necessary to the applicability of various EOs on other food models in Iran and other countries

The Prevalence of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in Minced and Ground Beef in Iran

In this study, due to the importance of human societies, the prevalence of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in minced and ground beef was investigated in Qazvin city, Iran. All samples were collected randomly by sampling method. The number of samples taken was estimated based on statistical methods and according to previous studies. Clostridium difficile moxalactam norfloxacin (CDMN) culture media was used to isolate Clostridium difficile and TCS Agar and TPGY culture media was used for Clostridium perfringens. After isolation, a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test was used to confirm the species diagnosis. According to the results, 21.26% of all samples were infected with these two bacteria. The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens (18.04%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than Clostridium difficile (3.22%). Given the results and the pathogenicity of Clostridium species, especially Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, special attention should be paid to the methods reducing the contamination of these pathogenic bacteria in raw food

Essential Oils from Indigenous Iranian Plants: A Natural Weapon vs. Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli

Abstract: Aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial properties of herbal plant essential oils (EOs) from selected Iranian plant species such as Ferulago angulata, Zataria multiflora, Cuminum cyminum, and Mentha longifolia against antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains. For this purpose, the Escherichia coli strains, isolated from raw cow’s milk and local dairy products (yogurt, cream, whey, cheese, and confectionery products) collected from different areas of Hamedan province, Iran, were investigated for their resistance to antibiotics (i.e., streptomycin, tetracycline, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and cefixime). Thus, the E. coli strains were tested for their susceptibility to the above-mentioned essential oils. Regarding antibiotics, the E. coli strains were highly sensitive to ciprofloxacin. In relation to essential oils, the most effective antibacterial activity was observed with Zataria multiflora; also, the bacteria were semi-sensitive to Cuminum cyminum and Mentha longifolia essential oils. All strains were resistant to Ferulago angulata essential oil. According to the results, the essential oil of Zataria multiflora can be considered as a practical and alternative antibacterial strategy to inhibit the growth of multidrug-resistant E. coli of dairy origin. Keywords: antibiotic susceptibility; pathogen; Zataria multiflora; essential oils; dairy product

Ziziphora clinopodioides Essential Oil Effects on the Physicochemical and Microbial Characteristics of Cow Milk Butter during the Storage at 4°C

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of Ziziphora cliniopodioides on the physicochemical and microbial properties of Iranian traditional cow milk butter. The Z. cliniopodioides essential oil (EO) was extracted by Clevenger. The EO constituents were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Three butter samples with concentrations of 300, 600, and 900 ppm were prepared from the EO. The variation of physicochemical and microbial properties of butter was evaluated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 at 4°C. Based on GC-MS analysis results, the major EO compounds were Carvacrol (40.1%), Linalool (8.30%), and Isoborneol (4.90%). The results of the microbial evaluation showed that the amount of microbial load is significantly reduced by increasing concentrations of EO and the maintenance time of the butter. The logarithmic reduction of the total count of bacteria, Escherichia coli, and the total number of mold and yeast were 3.68, 1.76 and 3.83 (log10 CFU/mL) at 900 ppm, respectively. The peroxide and acid values of butter samples were also decreased significantly. Additionally, the sensory evaluation showed that the EO had acceptable desirable sensory acceptance at 300, 600, and 900 ppm, and the lowest sensory acceptance was observed at 900 ppm. Considering the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of Z. cliniopodioides EO, as well as improving the organoleptic properties of various foods such as butter and its abundance as a native plant in the country, it can be used as a natural preservative and flavoring agent instead of chemical ones

A REVIEW OF THE IMPORTANCE, DETECTION AND CONTROLLING OF HEAVY METAL IN MILK AND DAIRY PRODUCTS

Milk and dairy products can be contaminated in different ways. One of the most important and most challenging contaminations is due to heavy metals. In present research key words, including Milk, Dairy products, Heavy metal, Iran in the database pub med, Science Direct, Elsevier, SID, MagIran, Civilica, the World Health Organization and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations were searched. All articles indexed in domestic and international journals related to the topic were collected over the past several years. Heavy metal contamination in milk and dairy products play an important role in public health, as it can be the reason to the prevalence of diverse illnesses and lesions. There are various ways to measure the amount of contamination in milk and dairy products. One of the best and most efficient methods is atomic absorption. Moreover, collecting samples, storing and preparing them with different materials and solutions are also an important method. Heavy metals can enter the food chain in many ways. Sewage, factory waste, garbage, dust and etc are the common ways for heavy metals to enter the food. Cow’s body acts like a biological filter about heavy metals, especially Cadmium and the absorbed Lead and Cadmium move to its bones and start to accumulate. Due to extensive consumption of milk and dairy products, it is critical to lessen contamination. Water and foods with both animal and plant resources must be monitored and examined before use. Materials used for food packaging must be harmless for human health so the present elements used in the containers must be reconsidered

The Prevalence of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in Minced and Ground Beef in Iran

ABSTRACT: In this study, due to the importance of human societies, the prevalence of Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens in minced and ground beef was investigated in Qazvin city, Iran. All samples were collected randomly by sampling method. The number of samples taken was estimated based on statistical methods and according to previous studies. Clostridium difficile moxalactam norfloxacin (CDMN) culture media was used to isolate Clostridium difficile and TCS Agar and TPGY culture media was used for Clostridium perfringens. After isolation, a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test was used to confirm the species diagnosis. According to the results, 21.26% of all samples were infected with these two bacteria. The prevalence of Clostridium perfringens (18.04%) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than Clostridium difficile (3.22%). Given the results and the pathogenicity of Clostridium species, especially Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens, special attention should be paid to the methods reducing the contamination of these pathogenic bacteria in raw food

Ziziphora clinopodioides essential oil effects on the physicochemical and microbial characteristics of cow milk butter during the storage at 4°c

This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of Ziziphora cliniopodioides on the physicochemical and microbial properties of Iranian traditional cow milk butter. The Z. cliniopodioides essential oil (EO) was extracted by Clevenger. The EO constituents were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). Three butter samples with concentrations of 300, 600, and 900 ppm were prepared from the EO. The variation of physicochemical and microbial properties of butter was evaluated on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 at 4°C. Based on GC-MS analysis results, the major EO compounds were Carvacrol (40.1%), Linalool (8.30%), and Isoborneol (4.90%). The results of the microbial evaluation showed that the amount of microbial load is significantly reduced by increasing concentrations of EO and the maintenance time of the butter. The logarithmic reduction of the total count of bacteria, Escherichia coli, and the total number of mold and yeast were 3.68, 1.76 and 3.83 (log10 CFU/mL) at 900 ppm, respectively. The peroxide and acid values of butter samples were also decreased significantly. Additionally, the sensory evaluation showed that the EO had acceptable desirable sensory acceptance at 300, 600, and 900 ppm, and the lowest sensory acceptance was observed at 900 ppm. Considering the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of Z. cliniopodioides EO, as well as improving the organoleptic properties of various foods such as butter and its abundance as a native plant in the country, it can be used as a natural preservative and flavoring agent instead of chemical ones

Contamination of <i>Zophobas morio</i> Larvae Rearing Substrate with <i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>: A Preliminary Study

The interest in edible insects is continuously increasing due to their environmental, nutritional, and productive features. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects and survival of Listeria monocytogenes in Zophobas morio rearing, using two different bacterial loads (2 and 6 log CFU/g). We also considered the effect of washing, fasting, and cooking treatments on the larvae. During the experimental trial, no mortality was observed among the larvae. The L. monocytogenes loads decreased over time, and it was below the detection limit for crates inoculated with 2 log CFU/g, while the substrate inoculated with 6 log CFU/g reached loads of 4.26 (without larvae) and 2.83 log CFU/g (with larvae). Due to the absence of L. monocytogenes in the larvae on day seven, it was not possible to assess the fasting treatment or the washing and the cooking. However, when looking at the total microbial count, significant effects were revealed for all treatments. The unfasted larvae showed no effect of washing, while the total microbial counts decreased after washing in the fasted larvae. This proves that fasting is a good treatment in terms of hygiene assurance for the consumer