401

Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 50, No. 5, Pages 401-403 (May 1987)
Copyright' International Association ot Milk, Food and Environmental Sanitarians

Survey of the Microbiological Quality of Whole, Black Pepper

and Turmeric Powder Sold in Retail Shops in Bombay
H. GEETA and P. R. KULKARNI*

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Food and Fermentation Technology Division, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Bombay, Bombay-400 019, India
(Received for publication February 24, 1986)
ABSTRACT zones, viz. East, West, South, North and Central. Three shops
from each zone were selected. Three samples of 2 kg of each
Microbiological analysis of loosely packed, whole, black
spice were collected from each shop. The environmental condi-
pepper and turmeric powder obtained from retail shops in the
tions in the vicinity of shops selected in each zone were as
city of Bombay revealed that the samples of both spices were
follows: for North Zone, shops were situated in residential col-
highly contaminated. Aerobic plate counts of black pepper
onies with clean surroundings; for Central Zone, selected shops
ranged from 12.1 X 107 to 81.9 x 108 c.f.u. per gram and
were situated by the roadside with hectic activity but were in
turmeric powder from 4.1 X 107 to 73.6 X 108 c.f.u. per
a fairly clean environment; for East Zone, shops selected were
g. In both spices, mesophilic sporeformers like Bacillus oc-
curred. Coliforms ranged in counts from 102-103 per g. Fungal situated on the outskirts of the city in moderately clean sur-
counts ranged from 0.6 X 104 to 16 X 105 per g for black roundings; for West Zone, shops selected were in the vicinity
pepper and from 0.5 x 103 to 11.1 x 105 per g for turmeric of unhygienic buffalo sheds; shops in the South Zone were un-
powder. Fungal flora included mainly Aspergillus spp. with the hygienic.
occurrence of Mucor in some of the samples. No other or- The retail shop conditions were temperature, ambient (i.e.
ganisms were observed in the dilutions plated. The extent of 30-35°C); relative humidity, 55-70%; and period of storage of
contamination was slightly greater in pepper than in turmeric, samples, 4-6 months. The different samples of the whole, black
although both spices were of a poor quality when compared pepper and turmeric powder were stored in clean, washed and
with international standards. oven sterilized glass bottles until used.

Preparation of the sample

Ten grams of each sample were weighed under aseptic condi-
India has been one of the major spice producing and
tions and added to 90 ml of sterile saline solution. This was
exporting countries from early days. Amongst the spices, taken as the 10"' dilution and further serially diluted up to 10"9
black pepper maintains the highest status and accounts (5). One ml of the required dilution was added to 15-20 ml
for a little more than one fourth of the total world trade of the molten and cooled medium using the pour plate method.
in spices. Turmeric is another major spice, and is used All media used for plating were purchased from M/s. HiMedia
for its coloring ability and medicinal values. Often the Lab. Pvt. Ltd., Bombay. To obtain the total aerobic bacterial
top quality spices are exported and the quality of produce count, 10"7, 10"8 and 10"9 dilutions were plated using Plate
available for local consumption may be far from satisfac- Count agar and plates were incubated at 37°C for 48 h. For
tory. Spices have been reported to be frequently contami- coliforms, 10"1, 10"2 and 10"3 dilutions were plated on Violet
Red Bile agar medium and plates were incubated at 37°C for
nated {6-9,11,15). However, there are hardly any data
24 h. Baird Parker agar was used for Staphylococcus detection
available on the microbial quality of spices sold in loose and isolation for which the dilutions used were 10"', 10"2 and
packs in retail markets in a city like Bombay where a 10"3. For selective enrichment and isolation of Salmonella and
range of quality, catering to various socio-economic Shigella, 10"', 10"2 and 10"3 dilutions were plated on Bismuth
groups situated in specific localities, is found. The pre- sulfite agar and the plates incubated at 37°C for 24 h (5). Dilu-
sent work was therefore undertaken with a view to sur- tions of 10"2, 10"3 and 10"4 were plated on Nutrient agar and
veying the range of quality of two of the major spices plates were incubated in anaerobic jars at 37°C and 55°C for
and finding out the relationship, if any, between the area 7 d to obtain the mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic count.
To detect the presence of Clostridium, the same dilutions were
of sampling and microbial quality.
plated with Clostridial agar and plates were incubated at 37°C
or 55°C for 7 d. Yeast and mold count were obtained with
MATERIALS AND METHODS
potato dextrose agar (pH 5.6 ± 0.2) using 10"3, 10"* and 10"5
dilutions and the plates incubated at room temperature for 5
Sample collection
d.
For convenience, the city of Bombay was divided into five

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION, VOL. 50, MAY 1987

402 GEETA AND KULKARNI

TABLE 1. Microbiological analysis of whole black pepper samples collected from shops in the city of Bombay
Aerobic Salmonella
sllo
P plate Coliform Staphylococcal Shigella Clostridial Yeast and
hygienic count count count count count mold count
conditions Zone per g per g per g per g per g
per g
Very good North 35 X 10 7 3.1 X 1 0 4
36 x 10 7 <10 <10 <10 <10 2.1 X 1 0 4
42X107
Fairly 2. Central 12X107 1.2X10 4
good 15X107 <10 <10 <10 <10 0.6 X 104
16X107
Fairly 3. East 42 X 10 8 42X102 16X105
good 36xl08 55X102 <10 <10 <10 6.8 X 105
59X108 43X102 llxlO5
Poor 4. West 74X108 9.8 X 10 3 15X104

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63xl08 13xl03 <10 <10 <10 16xl04
59X108 22X103 17X104
Poor 5. South 81x10s 15X103 7.88 X 1 0 4
63 x 10 8 11X103 <10 <10 <10 5.6 X10 4
59X108 17X103 9.9 X10 4
"Each result is an average of nine analyses.

TABLE 2. Microbiological analysis of turmeric powder samples collected from retail shops in the city of Bombay"
Aerobic Salmonella
Shop plate Coliform Staphylococcal Shigella Clostridial Yeast and
hygienic count count count count count mold count
Zone conditions per g per g per g pcrg per g perg
1 Very 18X107 12X102 7.1 X l O 4
(North) good 18X 10 7 9.5 X l O 2 <10 <10 <10 4.1 X l O 4
18X107 11 X l O 2 3.0 XlO 4
2 Fairly 4.1 x l O 7 7.2 XlO 3 1 XlO 4
(Central) good 10X107 5.6 x 10 3 <10 <10 <10 1.3 XlO 4
7.2X107 6.5 x l O 3 2 XlO4
3 Fairly 31 X 10 8 HOxlO2 7.4 XlO 5
(East) good 47X108 97 X l O 2 <10 <10 <10 4.4 X l O 5
45X108 94 x l O 2 11 X 10 s
4 Poor 20X107 8.7 X l O 4
(West) 20X107 <10 <10 <10 <10 8.2 X 10 4
20X107 8.7 XlO 4
5 Poor 64X108 0.5 X l O 3
(South) 73X108 <10 <10 <10 <10 0.5 X l O 3
70 X l O 8 lxlO3
"Each result is an average of nine analyses.

Colonies were counted and results per gram of the sample tation s h o w e d h i g h e r c o u n t s than the o t h e r , as e x p e c t e d
were calculated. Colony characteristics and gram staining of the for the total bacterial p o p u l a t i o n . M o s t of the o r g a n i s m s
various types of bacteria found were determined and further
isolated w e r e g r a m - p o s i t i v e , s p o r e f o r m i n g , catalase-posi-
identification and confirmation was done as follows.
tive Bacillus s p p . T h e s e w e r e further identified as B.
Identification of Bacillus spp. was done using the method of
cereus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus
Seenappa and Kempton (12). Bacillus cereus was confirmed by
selective growth on Bacillus cereus agar. Coliforms were iden- licheniformis a n d Bacillus pumilus. A s seen from T a b l e
tified by biochemical tests (2,14). Fungi were identified on the 1, coliforms w e r e found in s a m p l e s from three z o n e s out
basis of the color of the colonies on potato dextrose agar, stain- of the five, w h e r e e n v i r o n m e n t a l c o n d i t i o n s w e r e not so
ing characteristics using lactophenol cotton blue and the ar- h y g i e n i c . Staphylococcus, Salmonella and Shigella were
rangement of the fungal hyphae and spores (2). absent from all the s a m p l e s a n a l y z e d . C o l i f o r m s w e r e
further identified as Enterobacter aerogenes and Es-
cherichia coli. A n a e r o b i c o r g a n i s m s w e r e not f o u n d in
RESULTS any of the s a m p l e s a n a l y z e d . Y e a s t s w e r e also absent.
A m o n g the m o l d s p r e s e n t , Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus
T a b l e 1 s h o w s t h e microbial analysis of w h o l e , black flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus w e r e identified in all
p e p p e r c o l l e c t e d from shops in the city of B o m b a y . Of the s a m p l e s w h i l e Mucor s p p . w e r e found only in s a m -
the five z o n e s , three z o n e s with a p o o r e r d e g r e e of sani- ples from z o n e s N o . 3 , 4 and 5.

JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION, VOL. 50, MAY 1987

 MICROBIOLOGY OF PEPPER AND TURMERIC 403

Table 2 shows the microbial analysis of turmeric pow- hence should be prevented as far as possible. Second,
der from shops in the city of Bombay. Here again, the fungal growth can lead to off-flavors, discoloration and
aerobic plate count showed an abundance of gram-posi- changes in the appearance of spices, making the product
tive sporeforming, catalase-positive Bacillus spp. which unacceptable in the market. Third, fungi can alter other-
included B. subtilis, B. cereus, B. pumilus, B. lichenifor- wise unfavorable substrates allowing the growth of bac-
mis and Bacillus coagulans. The aerobic plate count was teria.
higher for samples from zones 3, 4 and 5 where the The present study points out clearly the need for im-
levels of sanitation in the environment were poorer than proving the harvesting, post-harvest handling and storage
in the first two zones. In contrast to pepper samples, col- conditions of spices in India. Faster drying methods, pro-
iforms were found in turmeric samples from those shops cessing, proper packaging and hygienic, dry storage con-
where degrees of sanitation was higher and absent in the ditions, decontamination treatments in the wholesale and
other shops which were situated in a more unhygienic retail shops all can lead to a spice of improved microbial
environment. Coliforms included E. aerogenes and E. quality. Environmental hygiene has a definite role to play
coli. Also, Salmonella, Shigella and anaerobes were not in the microbial quality of spice and hence must be taken

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found. Fungal identification showed the presence of A. care of to get a spice of improved quality.
flavus, A. parasiticus and A. niger in all the shops, while
Mucor spp. were found in all the shops except one.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT

DISCUSSION Financial assistance provided by the Department of Atomic Energy,

Government of India, is gratefully acknowledged.
All the samples of both whole, black pepper and tur-
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JOURNAL OF FOOD PROTECTION, VOL. 50, MAY 1987