Evaluation of Microbial Contamination of Sohan Produced in Qom, Iran, with Reference to National Standards

Abstract

Confectionery products comprise the main part of a balanced diet (1), which is industrially and corporately produced and supplied. Confectionery products, as defined by the Standard Institute of Iran, refer to the products that mainly contain sugar and oil (2). Sohan is one of the confectionery products produced in Qom, Iran. Main ingredients of this product are flour, wheat germ, sugar, oil, eggs, saffron, and cardamom. This item is produced in different forms and decorated by pistachio and almond (3). Daily production of Sohan in Qom is about 25 tons, 20 tons of which are exported outside