MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF SPICES (TURMERIC, BLACK PEPPER, AND SUMAC) IN WESTERN PART OF TEHRAN

Abstract

From August to October 1996, three different statistical communities of spices, including 37, 41, 26 samples for each one of black pepper, turmeric and sumac, respectively, were taken randomly from 35 various packaged labels and 2 production centres, in the west of Tehran, and examine for assessing fungi and bacterial contamination by using EC, VRBL agar LST, Brilliant green media, and compare with National Iranian Spices Standards. The results of the experiment showed that 81.7% of all samples had somehow fungal and bacterial contaminations. Coliforms, E.coil, and also Penicillium, Mucor, Aspergillus, were recognized among the 104 samples. Turmeric, black pepper and sumac were contaminated by bacterial and fungal agents 95, 86.5 and 53.8%, respectively.