In order to isolate, identify and characterize the microflora of cacao beans before, during and after fermentation and locate possible sources contributing to microbial contamination, cacao beans from the Centeno and San Louis Estates in Trinidad were investigated. Prior to fermentation, the interior and exterior of the pods, hands of employees, utensils, dried pulp material of the sweatboxes and finally fruitflies (Drosophila melanogaster) were studied microbiologically. At Centeno Estate, beans were sampled at 5, 45 and 90 cm depths at 8‐hr intervals for the first 72 hr and every 12 hr thereafter for 7 days. Sampling at San Louis Estate was carried out at 24 hr intervals for the same period. The changes in microbial population of the beans sampled at Centeno Estate ranged from 1.48 × 105/g at 0 hr to 4.1 × 105/g at the completion of the fermentation, whereas, at San Louis Estate they ranged from 6.8 × 105/g to 9.2 × 105/g during the same period. Taxonomical studies of isolates obtained during the fermentation period revealed the identification of 44 microorganisms at both Estates. Yeasts Zymomonas mobilis and several species of lactic acid organisms dominated the flora during the early stages of fermentation. As the fermentation progressed, these and other isolates were taken over by several species of genus Bacillus. Microbiological examination of dried and polished beans resulted in the identification of 22 organisms at Centeno Estate and 15 organisms at San Louis Estate
A study was conducted to examine the possible bacteriostatic and bactericidal effect of rosemary spice extractive (RSE) on growth of selected microflora and total bacterial populations in mechanically deboned poultry meat (MDPM), turkey breast, and beef. Definite bactericidal effect by 0.1% RSE became evident when a pure culture of Staphylococcus aureus was tested in a bacteriological medium. Such an effect was not observed when Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Salmonella typhimurium were tested. When various types of meat were used as growth media, RSE showed a bactericidal effect on S. aureus only at 5% concentration. Such an effect was not observed on total plate counts of the meat samples.
Milk samples of five breast-feeding mothers were studied for bacterial population, flora, and source. In most instances, samples taken at postfeeding contained higher bacterial populations than prefeeding samples. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the predominant organism isolated from 100% of the samples. Increases were noticed in the appearance of Streptococcus mitis, Gaffkya tetragena, Streptococcus salivarius, Staphylococcus aureus, as well as Lactobacillus acidophilus, in the postfeeding samples. Main sources of bacteria were found to be the infant's mouth and maternal skin.
SUMMARY —Samples of deboned meat from broiler necks and backs, whole fowl and turkey racks were obtained from commercial sources and examined for total aerobic counts, fecal coliforms, salmonellae, Clostridium perfringens, coagulase positive staphylococci and psychrotolerant microorganisms. The raw materials were either deboned immediately after birds were processed (conventional processing) or held in the plants at 3–5°C for 5 days prior to deboning (delayed processing). The storage studies were conducted by holding the deboned meat at 3°C for 0, 3, 6 and 12 days and at ‐15°C for periods of 3, 6 and 9 months. The total aerobic counts of delayed processed samples were shown to be higher than conventionally processed meat and remained the same throughout the storage period. In all instances, the total aerobic counts increased during the storage at 3°C. The MPN fecal coliforms were high for all samples and remained relatively the same throughout the storage period at 3°C. Freezing resulted in a significant reduction of fecal coliforms. Only six out of 54 samples were contaminated with salmonellae while four showed the presence of C. perfringens and none was contaminated with S. aureus. Pseudomonas, Achromobac‐ter and Flavobacterium dominated the psychrotolerant genera isolated in this investigation.
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