Multi-criteria Decision-making Technique Approach to Assess the Microbial Quality and Safety of Fresh-cut Salads Sold at Retail in Istanbul, Turkey

Year 2022, Volume: 19 Issue: 2, 366 - 379, 31.05.2022

Gülsüm Uçak Özkaya , Umit Geçgel , M. Zeki Durak

https://doi.org/10.33462/jotaf.994068

Abstract

The goal of this study was to investigate the microbial quality and safety of fresh-cut salads sold in restaurants that were located at Esenler, Fatih, Besiktas, Uskudar, Kadikoy and Umraniye in Istanbul, Turkey. In total, 180 samples were assayed for microbiological analysis including enumeration of total aerobic mesophilic (TMAB), aerobic psychotropic (AP) bacteria, yeast and mold (YM), fecal coliforms bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, isolation of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Meanwhile, a coagulase test was conducted out for S. aureus. Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS)-based multi-criteria decision-making technique (MCDM) approach was used to rank six districts in terms of microbial count. The enumeration of TMAB in Esenler, Fatih and Besiktas ranged from 4.34 to >7.48 log CFU g-1, 3.69 to >7.48 log CFU g-1 and 4.05 to >7.48 log CFU g-1, respectively. However, the enumeration of TMAB in Uskudar, Kadıkoy and Umraniye ranged from 2.57 to >7.48 log CFU g-1, 4.01 to >7.48 log CFU g-1 and 4.24 to >7.48 log CFU g-1, respectively. The enumeration of AP, YM and S. aureus ranged from 2.00 to >7.48 log CFU g-1, 2.00 to >7.48 and 2.00 to 6.13 log CFU g-1, respectively. Coagulase-positive staphylococci were found in 43 samples. When total coliforms counts were calculated for the samples, Esenler had the highest count (3588.1 MPN/g). The highest and lowest count of fecal coliform was found in Esenler and Fatih, respectively. E. coli was isolated 7.22% in samples. Salmonella spp. and L. monocytogenes were not found in any of the samples. According to TOPSIS, Esenler had very bad values of TMAB and AP, S. aureus, coliform and fecal coliform. As for YM, Fatih had the worst scores. Uskudar was found as the best district considering the count of all microbial groups. On the other hand, it has been discovered that the microbial safety of fresh-cut salads sold in Istanbul is adequate for consumption.

Keywords

Fresh-cut salads, Microbial quality, Microbial safety, Multi-criteria decision technique, TOPSIS

Supporting Institution

Namik Kemal University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Department

Project Number

NKUBAP.00.24.YL.13.06.

Multi-criteria Decision-making Technique Approach to Assess the Microbial Quality and Safety of Fresh-cut Salads Sold at Retail in Istanbul, Turkey

Abstract

Bu çalışmanın amacı İstanbul, Türkiye’de Esenler, Fatih, Beşiktaş, Üsküdar, Kadıköy ve Ümraniye’de bulunan restoranlarda satılan taze kesilmiş salataların mikrobiyal kalite ve güvenliğini belirlemektir. Toplam aerobik mezofilik (TMAB), aerobik psikrotrofik (AP) bakteriler, maya ve küf (YM), fekal koliform bakterileri, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp. ve Listeria monocytogenes izolasyonu dahil olmak üzere mikrobiyolojik analiz için toplam 180 numune test edilmiştir. Bu arada, S. aureus için koagulaz testi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Altı ilçeyi mikrobiyal sayı açısından sıralamak için çok kriterli karar verme tekniği (MCDM) yaklaşımına dayalı ideal çözüme benzerlik bakımından sıralama performansı tekniği (TOPSIS) kullanılmıştır. Esenler, Fatih ve Beşiktaş’ta TMAB sayımı sırasıyla 4.34 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1, 3.69 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1 ve 4.05 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1 arasında değişmektedir. Ancak Üsküdar, Kadıköy ve Ümraniye’de TMAB sayımı sırasıyla 2.57 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1, 4.01 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1 ve 4.24 ̶ >7.48 log KOB g-1 arasında değişmektedir. AP, YM ve S. aureus sayımı sırasıyla 2.00 ->7.48 log KOB g-1, 2.00-7.48 log KOB g-1 ve 2.00-6.13 log KOB g-1 arasında değişmiştir. Örneklerin 43’ü koagülaz pozitif stafilokok olarak tespit edilmiştir. Örnekler için toplam koliform sayıları hesaplandığında en yüksek sayıya (3588.1 EMS/g) Esenler’in sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. En yüksek ve en düşük fekal koliform sayısı sırasıyla Esenler ve Fatih’te bulunmuştur. Örneklerin %7.22’sinde E. coli izole edilmiştir. Örneklerin hiçbiri Salmonella spp. ve L. monocytogenes için pozitif olarak tespit edilmemiştir. TOPSİS’e göre, Esenler TMAB, AP, S. aureus, koliform ve fekal koliform bakımından en kötü değerlere sahip olduğu bulunmuştur. YM’de ise en kötü skoru Fatih ilçesi almıştır. Tüm mikrobiyal grupların sayısı göz önüne alındığında, Üsküdar en iyi ilçe olarak bulunmuştur. Öte yandan İstanbul’da satışa sunulan taze kesilmiş salataların mikrobiyal güvenliğinin tüketilmek için yeterli olduğu çalışmanın sonuçları ile ortaya çıkmıştır.

Keywords

Taze kesilmiş salatalar, Mikrobiyal kalite, Mikrobiyal güvenlik, Çok kriterli karar tekniği, TOPSIS

Project Number

NKUBAP.00.24.YL.13.06.

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