Investigation of Enteric Gram-Negative Bacilli Contamination in Mazafati Date

Food safety is related to the existence and level of food hazards used. The World Health Organization considers diseases caused by the consumption of contaminated food as the most important and serious problem of todayʹs world. Therefore, appropriate sanitary measures are necessary to avoid risks to human health. Dates are one of the major Iranian agricultural products that have significant and effective role in Iranʹs non-oil export in addition to domestic consumption. Hundred 500-gram packages of date were randomly sampled and tested from the date distribution centers. After appropriate dilution, bacteriological tests were performed. Coliform count of the solid medium (VRB), Enterobacteriaceae count of solid medium (VRBD), E.coli from liquid medium LS+ as well as confirmatory tests for the detection of enterococcus, bromocresol liquid medium-purple azide broth culture as well as KF solid medium for confirmatory tests were used. After reviewing the results, only 11% of the samples had coliform contamination. There were no E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae and enterococcus contamination in the samples. This fact confirms the antibacterial effects of date; however it may require further research in this area.