Most propionic acid is added to food (especially breads) as preservatives and its form is sodium or calcium salt. Most countries admitted propionic acid as food preservatives but a tolerance limit is somewhat different according to countries. Recoveries of the official method for propionates reported as 50.0~60.0%. Accordingly new rapid determination method for propionates was developed using formic acid added sodium chloride (5 g) and ether (formic acid : ether = 1 : 2) as the extraction solvent to improve the official method with the complex processes. Propionate was dissolved from the samples with formic acid omitting steam distillation and ion exchange procedure. Then propionate in formic acid was extracted with ether and sodium chloride again. A 1 μl aliquot of the filtrate of ether was analyzed by gas chromatograph. Recoveries from sample A and B fortified with propionic acid sodium salt were 85.0 % and 90.0 %, respectively.

Peeled whole onions (PWO) were cleaned at various hypochlorous acid (HA) concentration and steeping time and packed in LDPE bag keeping at 10℃ for 12 days and 35℃ for 3 days, in order eventually to examine microbiology, surface color and sensory quality. At the early stage of storage, it was found that total bacterial counts at H-II keeping at 10℃ after 1 minute steeping were 2.60 ± 0.18 log CFU/g, and those after 3 minutes steeping were 2.10 ± 0.18 log CFU/g which showed less than the control. The total bacterial counts at H-III were detected after 4 days. The total bacterial counts of PWO treated HA increased as steeping time became longer, HA concentration increased, and storage temperature went down. E. coli was not detected at all treatments. It was also found that during the treatment the L-value showed decreasing trend, but the parameter a- and b- value showed increasing trend. But these trends were mitigated as HA concentration increased. The result of sensory quality evaluation for the appearance showed that the sample stored with 10℃ gained higher evaluation than that with 10℃, while the control and H-III gained highest points significantly (p < 0.05) for the sample keeping at 10℃ after 12 days storage. The sensory odor of onion showed similar to that for the appearance, and the 8-day treatments of H-II and H-III showed no significantly difference (p < 0.05). On the basis of the results above, it is likely to be more effective to prolong the period of circulation of PWO if you use HA over 50 ppm for washing PWO and storage at 10℃. This study will contribute to improve safety and quality in circulation of PWO.

Dahi is yoghurt like fermented dairy products available in Bangladesh made by traditional ways from raw milk. The aim of the present study was to check and compare the present quality status of the market dahi in reference to laboratory made dahi. For this, dahi was prepared in the laboratory (A) and collected from Kishoregonj district (B), Gazipur district (C), Bogra district (D) and Dhaka district (E and F). Consumer acceptance quality was judged on 100 point by a judge panel and chemical and microbiological quality test were done by established methods. ‘A’ type dahi was superior followed by E, D, F, B and C considering the consumer acceptance quality parameter. From chemical test, it appears that, B possess the lowest pH (3.75 ± 0.05) and highest was in C (4.46 ± 0.15). Total solids content of F type dahi (318.40 ± 4.44 g/kg) was highest and fat (52.00 ± 2.00 g/kg), protein (44.33 ± 2.00 g/kg) and ash (10.76 ± 0.31 g/kg) content were also higher in F type dahi. E and A type dahi were also with considerable figure in chemical quality parameter. Dahi B was inferior in respect of microbiological quality- total viable count (TVC) (× 105 cfu/ml) content was 94.00 ± 4.58, yeast (cfu/ml) content was 183.33 ± 15.28 and mold (cfu/ml) content was 53.33 ± 15.28. The TVC (× 105 cfu/ml), yeast (cfu/ml) and mold (cfu/ml) content of A type dahi were 39.67 ± 4.51, 50.00 ± 10.00 and 20.00 ± 10.00, respectively. Considering all the three major quality aspects dahi A was superior than others followed by F, D, E, C and B.

Usually, bacterial spores are hundreds or thousands of times more resistant to chemical sanitizers than are vegetable bacteria. Consequently, it is hard to assess whether a commercial sterilant, containing hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid as ingredients, has or does not have sporicidal activity under certain conditions using the National Standard Test Method for assessing bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Hence we established alternative the standard test method and requirements to determine whether they are effective in showing at least reduction of 103 in the number of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spores under the required test condition for evaluation of sporicidal activity including verification methodology. This standardized method has proved to be suitable for evaluating effectiveness of commercial sterilants and could be used as Standardization Test Method for assessing sporicidal activity.

The objectives of this study were to compare the biochemical profiles with biogroups for the identification of Cronobacter spp. (formally known as Enterobacter sakazakii) isolates using biochemical identification kits. A total of 38 Cronobacter spp. contained 5 clinical, 31 food, and 2 environmental isolates were used. All isolates were identified as Cronobacter spp. with the Vitek II system and ID 32E kit. The API 20E kit identified all isolates as Cronobacter spp. but the percentage identification was 51.1% for 16 of 38 isolates. These strains were contained to Biogroup 2, 9, 10, and 11. The utilization of inositol is a factor determining the percentage identification of Cronobacter spp. with the API 20E kit.

Aflatoxin (AF) and Ochratoxin A (OTA) are carcinogenic and possible carcinogenic mycotoxins respectively produced by Aspergillus spp or Penicillium spp. The study for contamination survey and proposal for reduction of mycotoxin in red pepper were carried out. 192 samples were collected at such various stages and markets as pre/post-harvest stages, internet shopping mall /super-market and small stakeholder mill/geographically indicated company. As only 2 samples were positive for aflatoxin, so contamination rate was 1.04%. In the meanwhile, contamination rate for ochratoxin A was 21.88% and a various amount of OTA was detected in 42 positive samples. 6 samples were found to be contaminated at higher level than 5 μgkg−1 for ochratoxin A, which was established recently as a maximum permissible limit in korea. There was no difference in degree of contamination with regard to cultivation type because any mycotoxin was not found at all in both organically and conventionally grown red pepper. But, there was statistically significant difference in the process of manufacturing. Finished products were OTA-contaminated at a level of 2.32 ± 6.54 μgkg−1(mean ± SD), even though OTA was not detected in deep frozen red peppers right after long term storage. And contamination for OTA was a level of 0.33 ± 0.91 μgkg−1(mean ± SD) in red paprika powder after uv sterilization, while the contamination for OTA was 2.78 ± 4.49 μgkg−1(mean ± SD) in non-uv sterilized powder. In addition, our investigation shows that higher OTA contamination occurred in some of famous brand products sold in super-market and domestic products than products collected through on-line shopping or from small stakeholder mills and imported products respectively, however, difference was not statistically significant.

Recently, social network service is developing rapidly as technology changes with new mobile dimensions and features creating positive opportunities and benefits to all users and companies. Social network services are allowing companies to expand their businesses and brands by utilizing it as a marketing tool to reach customers. This research is intended to identify major online social network services and their trends while enhancing the understanding of food service business expansion through social networking.