Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage

Edible flowers are food products that are usually eaten fresh without prior heat treatment. Due to their chemical composition and low degree of processing, they can be an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms, and thus a source of infection. Methods of their preservation include proper packag...

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Main Authors: Aleksandra Wilczyńska, Anita Kukułowicz, Anna Lewandowska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences 2023-01-01
Series:Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.pan.olsztyn.pl/Effect-of-Packaging-on-Microbial-Quality-of-Edible-Flowers-During-Refrigerated-Storage,159037,0,2.html
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author Aleksandra Wilczyńska
Anita Kukułowicz
Anna Lewandowska
author_facet Aleksandra Wilczyńska
Anita Kukułowicz
Anna Lewandowska
author_sort Aleksandra Wilczyńska
collection DOAJ
description Edible flowers are food products that are usually eaten fresh without prior heat treatment. Due to their chemical composition and low degree of processing, they can be an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms, and thus a source of infection. Methods of their preservation include proper packaging and storage at low temperatures. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of type of packaging (vacuum-sealed polyamide/polyethylene bag and polyethylene terephthalate box) on the microbial contamination of edible flowers including nasturtium, calendula, and daisy during refrigerated storage. The counts of selected pathogenic bacteria, total yeasts and moulds on the day of harvesting and after 1–3 days of refrigerated storage were determined. The results showed that the edible flowers did not contain Salmonella sp. or Escherichia coli (except nasturtiums), while all flowers contained both yeast and moulds at counts about 4–5 log cfu/g, and Staphylococcus aureus at numbers ranging from 1.89 to 2.72 log cfu/g. The differences in the counts of moulds and S. aureus were statistically significant depending on the type of flower. Neither the type of packaging nor storage time under refrigerated conditions influenced the degree of microbial contamination of the flowers.
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record_format Article
series Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
spelling doaj-art-169d94e2bb6c46108097be7ecdd734be2025-02-03T09:11:17ZengInstitute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of SciencesPolish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences2083-60072023-01-01731323810.31883/pjfns/159037159037Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated StorageAleksandra Wilczyńska0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4434-0819Anita Kukułowicz1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7520-7992Anna Lewandowska2Department of Quality Management, Gdynia Maritime University, Morska 81-87, 81-225 Gdynia, PolandDepartment of Quality Management, Gdynia Maritime University, Morska 81-87, 81-225 Gdynia, PolandDepartment of Quality Management, Gdynia Maritime University, Morska 81-87, 81-225 Gdynia, PolandEdible flowers are food products that are usually eaten fresh without prior heat treatment. Due to their chemical composition and low degree of processing, they can be an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms, and thus a source of infection. Methods of their preservation include proper packaging and storage at low temperatures. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of type of packaging (vacuum-sealed polyamide/polyethylene bag and polyethylene terephthalate box) on the microbial contamination of edible flowers including nasturtium, calendula, and daisy during refrigerated storage. The counts of selected pathogenic bacteria, total yeasts and moulds on the day of harvesting and after 1–3 days of refrigerated storage were determined. The results showed that the edible flowers did not contain Salmonella sp. or Escherichia coli (except nasturtiums), while all flowers contained both yeast and moulds at counts about 4–5 log cfu/g, and Staphylococcus aureus at numbers ranging from 1.89 to 2.72 log cfu/g. The differences in the counts of moulds and S. aureus were statistically significant depending on the type of flower. Neither the type of packaging nor storage time under refrigerated conditions influenced the degree of microbial contamination of the flowers.http://journal.pan.olsztyn.pl/Effect-of-Packaging-on-Microbial-Quality-of-Edible-Flowers-During-Refrigerated-Storage,159037,0,2.htmlnasturtiumcalenduladaisymicrobiological contaminationshelf life
spellingShingle Aleksandra Wilczyńska
Anita Kukułowicz
Anna Lewandowska
Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences
nasturtium
calendula
daisy
microbiological contamination
shelf life
title Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
title_full Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
title_fullStr Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
title_short Effect of Packaging on Microbial Quality of Edible Flowers During Refrigerated Storage
title_sort effect of packaging on microbial quality of edible flowers during refrigerated storage
topic nasturtium
calendula
daisy
microbiological contamination
shelf life
url http://journal.pan.olsztyn.pl/Effect-of-Packaging-on-Microbial-Quality-of-Edible-Flowers-During-Refrigerated-Storage,159037,0,2.html
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