The potential of Salmonella population to rebound on non-washed and washed roma tomatoes and jalapeño peppers in humid storage at 4°C, 10°C, 15°C, 21°C, or 35°C for ≤12 days was investigated. The initial inoculation levels of Salmonella on peppers and tomatoes were 5.6 and 5.2 log CFU/cm(2), respectively. Air-drying of fruit surfaces resulted in contamination levels of 3.9 and 3.7 log CFU/cm(2) on inoculated peppers and tomatoes, respectively. At 21°C and 35°C, the levels of air-dried Salmonella inoculums on produce surfaces increased ≥2 log cycles, with the most rapid growth in the first 3 days. Mechanical washing on rollers (rinsing; R-treatment) or revolving brushes (rinsing and brushing; RB-treatment) with water decreased Salmonella counts by ≥2.5 log CFU/cm(2) on both peppers and tomatoes. After R- or RB-treatment, peppers stored at 21°C and 35°C permitted residual Salmonella (≤1.4 log CFU/cm(2)) to grow to 2.6-3.9 log CFU/cm(2). During storage, residual Salmonella (≤1.0 log CFU/cm(2)) on washed tomatoes increased to 3.1 log CFU/cm(2) at 35°C following R-treatment and 3.8 log CFU/cm(2) at 21°C following RB-treatment. Cold storage at 4°C and 10°C effectively prevented the proliferation of Salmonella on both washed and non-washed produce. The current study on jalapeño peppers and roma tomatoes demonstrated that Salmonella population can rebound on produce in humid storage before or after washing. The finding highlights the benefit of uninterrupted cold storage for safer produce operations.
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Iranian EFL Learners' Cultural intelligence (CQ) and their performance on the IELTS Listening Module. Sixty advanced EFL students majoring in English translation at University of Zanjan were matched for the study through the Oxford Quick Placement Test. Cultural Intelligence Scale developed and validated by Ang et al. (2007) was used to assess the participants' cultural intelligence. The IELTS Listening Module and the Cultural Intelligence Scale were administered to the participants who were willing to take part in this study. The correlational analysis of the results revealed that there exists a statistically significant relationship between EFL learners' CQ and their performance on IELTS Listening Module. Furthermore, running multiple regression analysis indicated that of the four components of CQ (i.e. metacognitive, cognitive, behavioral, and motivational CQs), motivational CQ is the best predictor forthe listening ability of EFL learners. The findings of the study highlight the importance of incorporating programs for teaching culture in the EFL classroom, as enhancing cultural intelligence related skills at schools and universities can promote better communicational skills.
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