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Coliforms in processed mango: Significance and control

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O'Connor-Shaw, R.E., Guthrie, J.A., Dunlop, K.J. and Roberts, R. (1995) Coliforms in processed mango: Significance and control. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 25 (1). pp. 51-61.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0168-1605(94)00083-I

Publisher URL: http://www.elsevier.com

Abstract

The aims of this investigation were to enumerate coliforms in fresh mangoes, puree, cheeks, and cheeks-in-puree in order to determine the source of these organisms in the processed products, to determine methods for their control, and to identify coliforms isolated from cheeks-in-puree to determine whether they have any public health significance. Product from four processors was tested on two occasions. The retail packs of cheeks-in-puree having the highest coliform counts were those in which raw puree was added to the cheeks. Coliform counts in these samples ranged between 1.4 × 103 and 5.4 × 104 cfu/g. Pasteurisation reduced the coliform count of raw puree to < 5 cfu/g. Forty-seven percent of the 73 colonies, isolated as coliforms on the basis of their colony morphology on violet red bile agar, were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae using the ATB 32E Identification System. Klebsiella strains were tested for growth at 10 °C, faecal coliform response, and fermentation of -melizitose, to differentiate the three phenotypically similar strains, K. pneumoniae, K. terrigena and K planticola. Results indicated that 41% of K. pneumoniae isolates gave reactions typical of K. pneumoniae. A further 44% of strains gave an atypical reaction pattern for these tests and were designated ‘psychrotrophic’ K. pneumoniae. Klebsiella pneumoniae counts of between 2.1 × 103 and 4.9 × 104 cfu/g were predicted to occur in the retail packs of mango cheeks-in-puree produced by the processors who constituted this product with raw puree. In view of the opportunistic pathogenic nature of K. pneumoniae, its presence in these products is considered undesirable and steps, such as pasteurisation of puree, should be taken in order to inactivate it

Item Type:Article
Corporate Creators:Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI), Agri-Science, Crop and Food Science
Business groups:Crop and Food Science
Additional Information:© Elsevier.
Keywords:Klebsiella pneumoniae; Klebsiella oxytoca; Klebsiella planticola; Enterobacter cloacae; Enterobacter agglomerans; mango.
Subjects:Plant culture > Fruit and fruit culture > Culture of individual fruits or types of fruit > Stonefruit
Science > Microbiology > Microbial ecology
Plant culture > Harvesting, curing, storage
Science > Microbiology > Bacteria
Live Archive:28 Jun 2004
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:43

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