Miscellaneous Food Products 205
Among candies that have been reported to undergo microbial spoilage are chocolate creams, which
sometimes undergo explosions. The causative organisms have been reported to be Clostridium spp.,
especially C. sporogenes, which finds its way into these products through sugars, starch, and possibly
other ingredients.
Although spices do not undergo microbial spoilage in the usual sense of the word, molds and a few
bacteria do grow in those that do not contain antimicrobial principals, provided sufficient moisture
is available. Prepared mustard has been reported to undergo spoilage by yeasts and by Proteus and
Bacillus spp. usually with a gassy fermentation. The usual treatment of spices with propylene oxide
reduces their content of microorganisms, and those that remain are essentially spore formers and molds.
No trouble should be encountered from microorganisms as long as the moisture level is kept low.
The microbial profile of some spices is presented in Table 9–1. In a study of products on the
Austrian market, no confirmed S. aureus could be found in the 160 samples, and only one sample was
positive for a Salmonella—S. Arizonae.
30 The single highest numbers of organisms found were 2.6 ×
10
7 /g in China spice and 2.2 × 10
7 /g in black pepper. Over half of the 160 samples were positive for
enteric bacteria, and over half had an APC of 10
4 –10
6 cfu/g.
30 Only 3 (all paprika) of the 160 samples
contained potentially aflatoxigenic fungi.
NUTMEATS
Due to the extremely high fat and low water content of products such as pecans and walnuts (Table
9–4), these products are quite refractory to spoilage bacteria. Molds can and do grow on them if they
are stored under conditions that permit sufficient moisture to be picked up. Examination of nutmeats
will reveal molds of many genera that are picked up by the products during collecting, cracking,
sorting, and packaging. (See Chapter 30 for a discussion of aflatoxins as related to nutmeats.)
Table 9–4 Percentage Composition of Miscellaneous Foods
Food
Water
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fat
Ash
Beer (4% alcohol)
90.2
4.4
0.6
0.0
0.2
Bread, enriched white
34.5
52.3
8.2
3.3
1.7
Butter
15.5
0.4
0.6
81.0
2.5
Cake (pound)
19.3
49.3
7.1
23.5
0.8
Figbars
13.8
75.8
4.2
4.8
1.4
Jellies
34.5
65.0
0.2
0.0
0.3
Margarine
15.5
0.4
0.6
81.0
2.5
Mayonnaise
1.7
21.0
26.1
47.8
3.4
Peanut butter
16.0
3.0
1.5
78.0
1.5
Almonds (dried)
4.7
19.6
18.6
34.1
3.0
Brazil nuts
5.3
11.0
14.4
65.9
3.4
Cashews
3.6
27.0
18.5
48.2
2.7
Peanuts
2.6
23.6
26.9
44.2
2.7
Pecans
3.0
13.0
9.4
73.0
1.6
Mean
3.8
18.8
17.6
57.1
2.7
Source: Watt and Merrill. 65
Among candies that have been reported to undergo microbial spoilage are chocolate creams, which
sometimes undergo explosions. The causative organisms have been reported to be Clostridium spp.,
especially C. sporogenes, which finds its way into these products through sugars, starch, and possibly
other ingredients.
Although spices do not undergo microbial spoilage in the usual sense of the word, molds and a few
bacteria do grow in those that do not contain antimicrobial principals, provided sufficient moisture
is available. Prepared mustard has been reported to undergo spoilage by yeasts and by Proteus and
Bacillus spp. usually with a gassy fermentation. The usual treatment of spices with propylene oxide
reduces their content of microorganisms, and those that remain are essentially spore formers and molds.
No trouble should be encountered from microorganisms as long as the moisture level is kept low.
The microbial profile of some spices is presented in Table 9–1. In a study of products on the
Austrian market, no confirmed S. aureus could be found in the 160 samples, and only one sample was
positive for a Salmonella—S. Arizonae.
30 The single highest numbers of organisms found were 2.6 ×
10
7 /g in China spice and 2.2 × 10
7 /g in black pepper. Over half of the 160 samples were positive for
enteric bacteria, and over half had an APC of 10
4 –10
6 cfu/g.
30 Only 3 (all paprika) of the 160 samples
contained potentially aflatoxigenic fungi.
NUTMEATS
Due to the extremely high fat and low water content of products such as pecans and walnuts (Table
9–4), these products are quite refractory to spoilage bacteria. Molds can and do grow on them if they
are stored under conditions that permit sufficient moisture to be picked up. Examination of nutmeats
will reveal molds of many genera that are picked up by the products during collecting, cracking,
sorting, and packaging. (See Chapter 30 for a discussion of aflatoxins as related to nutmeats.)
Table 9–4 Percentage Composition of Miscellaneous Foods
Food
Water
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Fat
Ash
Beer (4% alcohol)
90.2
4.4
0.6
0.0
0.2
Bread, enriched white
34.5
52.3
8.2
3.3
1.7
Butter
15.5
0.4
0.6
81.0
2.5
Cake (pound)
19.3
49.3
7.1
23.5
0.8
Figbars
13.8
75.8
4.2
4.8
1.4
Jellies
34.5
65.0
0.2
0.0
0.3
Margarine
15.5
0.4
0.6
81.0
2.5
Mayonnaise
1.7
21.0
26.1
47.8
3.4
Peanut butter
16.0
3.0
1.5
78.0
1.5
Almonds (dried)
4.7
19.6
18.6
34.1
3.0
Brazil nuts
5.3
11.0
14.4
65.9
3.4
Cashews
3.6
27.0
18.5
48.2
2.7
Peanuts
2.6
23.6
26.9
44.2
2.7
Pecans
3.0
13.0
9.4
73.0
1.6
Mean
3.8
18.8
17.6
57.1
2.7
Source: Watt and Merrill. 65