Mycological survey of frozen vegetables and fruits products for standardization purpose
Narita, N.; Suzuki, M.; Sakabe, F.; Udagawa, S.
Eisei Shikenjo Hokoku. Bulletin of National Institute of Hygienic Sciences 1988(106): 136-139
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0077-4715 PMID: 3250651 Document Number: 305515
A mycological survey of 40 frozen vegetables and fruits products composed of 10 samples collected from three food processing plants and 30 retailers was carried out to evaluate the safety of foods supplied from central kitchen systems. Most (92.5%) of the samples had a potato-dextrose agar plate count of less than 102 cfu/g. Phoma spp. and yeasts were the most common groups found, followed by Exophiala, Penicillium, and Cladosporium. High levels of contamination (1.1 .times. 104 and 3.3 .times. 103 cfu/g) were only found in two samples of frozen sliced pineapple. Penicillium funiculosum, a freeze-resistant fungus, was most frequent in pineapple products and presumably cme from the ingredients. Since many common contaminants such as Exophiala, Phoma and Sporothrix are known human opportunistic pathogens, the recovery of the fungi from frozen foods indicates a potential hazard to human health.