Quality of selected spices and herbs consumed in Turkey

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to determine the microbiological (total aerobic bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, sulphite reducing bacteria, moulds/yeasts, Salmonella spp, and Escherichia coli O157:H7), chemical (moisture and ash) and toxicological (aflatoxin B,) quality of 170 spice (40 black pepper, 40 red pepper) and herb (30 thyme, 30 cumin, 30 peppermint) samples collected from retail markets and producers. Sixty-two of 170 (36.4%) spice and herb samples were Of unacceptable quality based on recommended criteria of microbiological (55 of 170, 32.3%), chemical (16 of 170, 9.4%) and toxicological (18 of 170, 10.5%) quality by the Turkish Food Codex. The results indicate that spices and herbs present a potential hazard for public health and the essential precautions should be taken to ensure applying good hygiene practice during growing and harvesting.