Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of Salt And Garlic Concentration On The Microbial Safety, Biochemical Properties, And Sensory Acceptance Of Spontaneously Fermented Beet Kvass, Abigail Hing

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fermentation is the process by which primarily lactic acid bacteria (LAB), an environmentally ubiquitous group of organisms, convert carbohydrates into several byproducts, including acid, ethanol and/or gas. Often these resulting byproducts create desirable foods with unique flavor attributes and an increased inherent safety due to acidification. Vegetables such as red beetroot are suitable commodities for fermentation, due to abundant nutrient sources to sustain the LAB population. However, sufficient growth of LAB may lead to the production of harmful biogenic amines, specifically histamine and tyramine which can cause an allergic reaction and poisoning at high levels. Additionally, red beetroot is grown …

Evaluation And Exploration Of Microbial Quality And Safety Aspects Of Unpasteurized Retail Maine Dairy Products, Dhafer A.M.H Alshaibani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend dairy products as part of a healthy diet and these products are significant contributors of important nutrients. In the U.S., and Maine specifically, demand for locally-produced, minimally processed foods, including unpasteurized dairy, has increased during the past several decades. An analysis of retrospective microbial testing data for unpasteurized retail dairy products revealed increasing microbial quality from 1998-2016, despite a five-fold increase in sample numbers during this time. Higher percentages of samples were non-compliant with microbial quality standards during the summer months compared to winter. High coliform counts were the leading cause of non-compliant samples …

Thermal Inactivation Of Bacterial Pathogens And Fungal Spores Under Post-Process Contamination Scenarios In Maple Syrup Processing, Maria Fiore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maple syrup is produced by the extensive thermal evaporation of maple sap traditionally collected from the Acer saccharum tree and other maple varietals. The resulting low water activity product (Aw < 0.85) is classified by the FDA as a low risk food commodity, due to the moisture limitations which inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. However, recent outbreaks associated with other designated low risk products, including peanut butter and wheat flour, now challenge the current understanding of factors required to induce human illness. Among the most notorious bacterial pathogens, as few as ten bacterial cells, have been cited to cause infection. In addition to bacteria-based risks, fungal contaminants have also been noted to jeopardize safety due to the potential for mycotoxin production, penetrating beyond the immediate product surface.

The extensive heating process required to produce syrup from sap is sufficient to eradicate the majority of present microflora. However, post-process contamination scenarios, which are augmented by producer behaviors, can introduce microorganisms into the finished product. Among these risk factors include direct product contamination due to insufficient heating temperatures, or contamination of bottles, as a result of improper container storage. Therefore, the objectives of this work are to (i) determine …

Identification Of High-Risk Food Coping Strategies Of Maine Food Pantry Clients, Kathryn Cutting

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Food coping strategies are strategies adopted by individuals in order to obtain enough food for themselves and their family. Food coping strategies can range from using coupons (couponing) and buying in bulk to skipping meals and stealing food. Although not all strategies are considered to be high risk, all strategies should be accounted for so that nutrition education programming caters to strategies that individuals are employing. This topic has not been widely researched in the United States. The purpose of this study was to identify common food coping strategies of food pantry clients across nine counties in Maine, explore identified …