Eugenia Bezirtzoglou
Democritus University of Thrace, Medical School, Faculty Member
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The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of the intestinal anaerobe bacteria colonizing the intestine of the newborn delivered by cesarean section. The intestinal bacterial colonization of 18 newborns delivered by cesarean... more
The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of the intestinal anaerobe bacteria colonizing the intestine of the newborn delivered by cesarean section. The intestinal bacterial colonization of 18 newborns delivered by cesarean section was assessed sequentially over the first 14 days of life. Emphasis is placed on C. perfringens and upon interaction to other bacteria. Correlation was made with the infant feeding mode. Microbial studies were realized in anaerobic conditions using Columbia blood agar simple and supplemented with antibiotics. Artificial alimentation seemed to favour C. perfringens installation, in contrast to the maternal one which promote B. bifidum proliferation. Antagonism between these bacteria seems to be established in the newborn intestine, via the alimentation.
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The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of the intestinal anaerobic bacteria colonizing the intestine of the newborn delivered by cesarean section. Control of the intestinal microecology is dependent on many factors including... more
The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of the intestinal anaerobic bacteria colonizing the intestine of the newborn delivered by cesarean section. Control of the intestinal microecology is dependent on many factors including intestinal peristalsis, the intraluminal environment, and microbial interactions, that deter the overgrowth of pathogens populations. Numerous factors help achieve this normal balance. The effect of feeding seems to induce bacteriological changes.
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Colonization of the digestive tract by C. perfringens was studied in infants born by cesarean section. Correlations between the level of colonization and the environment, type of feeding, and presence of other anaerobic bacteria were... more
Colonization of the digestive tract by C. perfringens was studied in infants born by cesarean section. Correlations between the level of colonization and the environment, type of feeding, and presence of other anaerobic bacteria were looked for. Colonization by C. perfringens was found as early as the second day of life in one of the maternity wards studied, suggesting presence of the microorganism in the environment. By the 14th day of life, colonization with C. perfringens was demonstrated in all the bottle-fed or breast and bottle-fed infants. In strictly breast-fed infants, findings suggested antagonism between Bifidobacterium and C. perfringens. Bacteroïdes and Clostridium species other than C. perfringens were not found prior to colonization by C. perfringens.
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It has been established that colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by Enterobacteriaceae and especially E. coli in newborn delivered by caesarean section occurs generally within the second day of life. On the 14th day, these bacteria... more
It has been established that colonization of the gastrointestinal tract by Enterobacteriaceae and especially E. coli in newborn delivered by caesarean section occurs generally within the second day of life. On the 14th day, these bacteria inhabit the fecal flora of the majority of newborn. Hospital environment, as well as type of feeding do not seem to influence their frequency nor their level in the intestine of the infants born by caesarean section.
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Research Interests: Microbiology, Medical Microbiology, Biology, Medicine, Honey, and 15 moreEscherichia coli, Antimicrobial activity, Bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus Pyogenes, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial activity, Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacillus subtilis, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Bacillus Cereus, Microbiological Quality, Antibiotic Susceptibility, Pathogenic Bacteria, and Salmonella enterica
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Lactobacillus paracasei K5 is a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain, isolated recently from feta-type cheese. Its probiotic potential has been demonstrated in a series of established in vitro tests. Moreover, incorporation of L. paracasei... more
Lactobacillus paracasei K5 is a lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strain, isolated recently from feta-type cheese. Its probiotic potential has been demonstrated in a series of established in vitro tests. Moreover, incorporation of L. paracasei K5 as starter culture offered organoleptic and technological advantages to novel fermented food products. In the present study, further investigation of the potential probiotic activity of L. paracasei K5 was performed and its mechanisms of action were investigated. Employing quantitative analysis and confocal, fluorescent microscopy the adhesion properties of the above strain were studied. L. paracasei K5 displayed efficient adherence capacity to Caco-2 colon cancer cells, similarly to the reference strains Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393 and Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG. Moreover, treatment of Caco-2 cells with L. paracasei K5 inhibited cell proliferation in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The anti-proliferative effects appear to be mediated through induction of apoptosis via modulation of expression of specific Bcl-2 family proteins. These results elucidate the mechanisms of action of L. paracasei K5 and enhance its potential probiotic activity.
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Aromatic plants have been used widely to extend the shelf life of foods but at the same time research is undergoes for their properties as antibacterial agents in clinical use. Although there are promising results for the antimicrobial... more
Aromatic plants have been used widely to extend the shelf life of foods but at the same time research is undergoes for their properties as antibacterial agents in clinical use. Although there are promising results for the antimicrobial properties of various essential oils against environmental or food-isolated strains of Staphylococcus aureus, limited work has been done concerning these properties against clinical isolates of this pathogen. S. aureus is responsible for an increase number of nosocomial infections and at the same time exhibits increased resistance to synthetic agents. In this study, essential oils from eight aromatic plants common in Greece were isolated by hydrodistillation, analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and GC/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) for their chemical components and tested for their antimicrobial activities against 24 clinical isolates of S. aureus. The methods used were disk diffusion and broth dilution in order to determine the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC). Our results showed that essential oils from Origanum vulgare and Origanum dictamnus were active against S. aureus when tested by disk diffusion, but exhibited increased MIC values (>256 mg/L) with the dilution method. In contrast, the reference strain NCTC 6571 showed to be extremely sensitive in most of the oils tested (MICs 0.25-32.0 mg/L) and resistant only to the essential oil from Ocimum basilicum. Therefore, there is no evidence of a potential clinical use for those essential oils and further research is needed in order to determine if they could substitute efficiently synthetic antibiotics or, perhaps be used in combination.
Research Interests: Microbiology, Mass Spectrometry, Medical Microbiology, Biology, Medicine, and 15 moreGreece, Essential Oil, Humans, Antimicrobial activity, Plants, Gas Chromatography, Aromatic plants, Antimicrobial, Antibacterial activity, Plant extracts, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Antibacterial Agent, Origanum, Nosocomial infection, and Minimum Inhibitory Concentration
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Internet and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have been already introduced in every aspect of environmental science. Regarding climate change, research trends and developments on ICT help realize how ICT evolved and its potential... more
Internet and Communication Technology (ICT) tools have been already introduced in every aspect of environmental science. Regarding climate change, research trends and developments on ICT help realize how ICT evolved and its potential future role in climate change. This study aimed to assess ICT solutions in climate change research trends using the Scopus database, bibliometric indicators, and network visualization. After a preliminary application of various combinations, the phrase “ICT and climate change” was used with language selection “English” from 01/01/1999 to 01/12/2021. A collection of 453 articles published in scientific journals and conference proceedings was revealed, which allowed the visualization mapping of the research agenda in the field of ICT and climate change. The most relevant topics are related to Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental and Social sciences. It has been found that a significant amount of documents were published after 2008. The Royal Insti...
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Nowadays, functional foods supplemented with health-promoting microorganisms have attracted consumer attention due to their health benefits. However, maintaining high cell loads, which consist of an essential requirement for conferring... more
Nowadays, functional foods supplemented with health-promoting microorganisms have attracted consumer attention due to their health benefits. However, maintaining high cell loads, which consist of an essential requirement for conferring the health effect, is a real bottleneck for the food industry due to viability declines during food processing and storage. Hence, freeze-drying and cell immobilization have been suggested to enhance cell viability. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of freeze-dried immobilized P. acidilactici ORE5 on pistachio nuts on the functional regulation of the Katiki Domokou-type cheese microbiome. Supplementation of Katiki Domokou-type cheese with free or immobilized P. acidilactici ORE5 culture resulted in cell loads > 8.5 logcfu/g up to 7 days of storage. Both free and immobilized P. acidilactici ORE5 cells suppressed the growth of L. monocytogenes after deliberate inoculation, acting as a protecting shield. HS-SPME GC/MS analysis showed that ...
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Intestinal microorganisms play a crucial role in shaping the host immunity and maintaining homeostasis. Nevertheless, alterations in gut bacterial composition may occur and these alterations have been linked with the pathogenesis of... more
Intestinal microorganisms play a crucial role in shaping the host immunity and maintaining homeostasis. Nevertheless, alterations in gut bacterial composition may occur and these alterations have been linked with the pathogenesis of several diseases. In surgical practice, studies revealed that the microbiome of patients undergoing surgery changes and several post-operative complications seem to be associated with the gut microbiota composition. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of gut microbiota (GM) in surgical disease. We refer to several studies which describe alterations of GM in patients undergoing different types of surgery, we focus on the impacts of peri-operative interventions on GM and the role of GM in development of post-operative complications, such as anastomotic leak. The review aims to enhance comprehension regarding the correlation between GM and surgical procedures based in the current knowledge. However, preoperative and postoperative synthesis of GM n...
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The importance of the oral microbiota is strictly linked to global human health. When imbalance of the oral microbiota occurs, and it is characterized by shifts in bacterial composition and diversity; a state called dysbiosis is settled.... more
The importance of the oral microbiota is strictly linked to global human health. When imbalance of the oral microbiota occurs, and it is characterized by shifts in bacterial composition and diversity; a state called dysbiosis is settled. There is an increasing amount of scientific evidence that this condition is associated with oral diseases caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. Diet seems to be a key factor for oral and dental health, impacting upon the oral microbiota. In an attempt to clarify the role of diet, as well as other implicating risk factors predisposing to oral disease, in the present study we enrolled an urban area of north-eastern Greece. Socio-demographical as well as hygienic and nutritional habits of a target group consisting of adult and children were entered in our study through a survey. People of the studied area are less interested in preventive and other dental therapies. Children and adults are less interested in healthy eating, yet they often consume sugar...
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Plants have long been thought to contribute to health promotion due to their fiber and phenolic content, as well as their inherent biological potential. The bioactive derivatives of medicinal plants are a valuable resource in the fight... more
Plants have long been thought to contribute to health promotion due to their fiber and phenolic content, as well as their inherent biological potential. The bioactive derivatives of medicinal plants are a valuable resource in the fight against serious diseases all around the world. The present review focuses on the current state of knowledge on the usage and medicinal applications of plant bioactives. Issues concerning the effect of aromatic plant derivatives on human gut microbiota and their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory potentials are discussed and worth further exploring.
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The present study aimed at investigating the possible benefits of a dietary intervention with Corinthian currants, a rich source of phenolic compounds, on type 1 diabetes (T1D) using the animal model of the streptozotocin-(STZ)-induced... more
The present study aimed at investigating the possible benefits of a dietary intervention with Corinthian currants, a rich source of phenolic compounds, on type 1 diabetes (T1D) using the animal model of the streptozotocin-(STZ)-induced diabetic rat. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned into four groups: control animals, which received a control diet (CD) or a diet supplemented with 10% w/w Corinthian currants (CCD), and diabetic animals, which received a control diet (DCD) or a currant diet (DCCD) for 4 weeks. Plasma biochemical parameters, insulin, polar phenolic compounds, and inflammatory factors were determined. Microbiota populations in tissue and intestinal fluid of the caecum, as well as fecal microbiota populations and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), were measured. Fecal microbiota was further analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing. The results of the study showed that a Corinthian currant-supplemented diet restored serum polar phenolic compounds and decreased interleukin-1b (I...
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Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract affecting millions of patients worldwide. The gut microbiome partly determines the pathogenesis of both diseases. Even though... more
Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract affecting millions of patients worldwide. The gut microbiome partly determines the pathogenesis of both diseases. Even though probiotics have been widely used as a potential treatment, their efficacy in inducing and maintaining remission is still controversial. Our study aims to review the present-day literature about the possible role of probiotics in treating inflammatory bowel diseases in adults. This research was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We included studies concerning adult patients who compared probiotics with placebo or non-probiotic intervention. We identified thirty-three studies, including 2713 patients from fourteen countries. The role of probiotics in Crohn’s disease was examined in eleven studies. Only four studies presented statistically significant results in the remiss...
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Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) onset has been associated with diet, among other environmental factors. Adipose tissue and the gut have an impact on β-cell biology, influencing their function. Dietary ingredients affect fatty acid profiles of... more
Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) onset has been associated with diet, among other environmental factors. Adipose tissue and the gut have an impact on β-cell biology, influencing their function. Dietary ingredients affect fatty acid profiles of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and plasma, as well as SCFAs production after microbial fermentation. Pistachios are a rich source of oleic acid, known for their anti-inflammatory actions and favorably affect gut microbiota composition. The purpose of the study was to examine plasma and VAT fatty acids profiles as well as fecal SCFAs after dietary intervention with pistachio nuts in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Plasma and VAT fatty acids were determined by GC-MS and SCFAs by HPLC. After 4 weeks of pistachio consumption, MUFA and especially oleic acid were increased in plasma and VAT of diabetic rats while PUFA, total ω6 and especially 18:2ω6, were decreased. Lactic acid, the major end-product of beneficial intestinal microorganisms, such as lactob...
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The collection of normally non-pathogenic microorganisms that mainly inhabit our gut lumen shapes our health in many ways. Structural and functional perturbations in the gut microbial pool, known as “dysbiosis”, have been proven to play a... more
The collection of normally non-pathogenic microorganisms that mainly inhabit our gut lumen shapes our health in many ways. Structural and functional perturbations in the gut microbial pool, known as “dysbiosis”, have been proven to play a vital role in the pathophysiology of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although therapeutic regimes are available to treat this group of diseases, they have long been the main cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. While age, sex, genetics, diet, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption are major contributors (World Health Organization, 2018), they cannot explain all of the consequences of CVD. In addition to the abovementioned traditional risk factors, the constant search for novel preventative and curative tools has shed light on the involvement of gut bacteria and their metabolites in the pathogenesis of CVD. In this narrative review, we will discuss the established interconnections between the gut microbiota and CVD, as...
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It is accepted that the medicinal use of complex mixtures of plant-derived bioactive compounds is more effective than purified bioactive compounds due to beneficial combination interactions. However, synergy and antagonism are very... more
It is accepted that the medicinal use of complex mixtures of plant-derived bioactive compounds is more effective than purified bioactive compounds due to beneficial combination interactions. However, synergy and antagonism are very difficult to study in a meticulous fashion since most established methods were designed to reduce the complexity of mixtures and identify single bioactive compounds. This study represents a critical review of the current scientific literature on the combined effects of plant-derived extracts/bioactive compounds. A particular emphasis is provided on the identification of antimicrobial synergistic or antagonistic combinations using recent metabolomics methods and elucidation of approaches identifying potential mechanisms that underlie their interactions. Proven examples of synergistic/antagonistic antimicrobial activity of bioactive compounds are also discussed. The focus is also put on the current challenges, difficulties, and problems that need to be over...
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder affecting a vast variety of the population. The onset of RA as well as the development of systematic immunization is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors. This review... more
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder affecting a vast variety of the population. The onset of RA as well as the development of systematic immunization is affected by both genetic and environmental risk factors. This review aims to point out the role of natural products in the management of RA, focusing on the reports of basic research (in vitro and animal studies) emphasizing the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties considered in the field of RA. A systematic screening of the relevant literature was carried out on PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus with the following criteria: publication date, 2015–2020; language, English; study design, in vitro or animal models; and the investigation of one or several natural products in the context of RA, including, when available, the molecular mechanisms implicated. A total of 211 papers were initially obtained and screened. In vitro and animal studies referring to 20 natural products and 15 pure compounds were ultimately...
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Oregano honey is an exceedingly rare and distinct product, not commercially available, produced by bees bred in oregano fields of alpine altitudes at the mountainous area of Epirus, Greece. In ethnic popular medicine, this product is used... more
Oregano honey is an exceedingly rare and distinct product, not commercially available, produced by bees bred in oregano fields of alpine altitudes at the mountainous area of Epirus, Greece. In ethnic popular medicine, this product is used as a therapeutic in various gastric diseases. To test this hypothesis, 14 strains of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), 6 isolated from gastric ulcers and 8 from cases of clinical gastritis, were employed in the present study. The above bacterial strains were exposed to various concentrations (75% v/v, 50% v/v, 25% v/v, 12.5% v/v, and 6% v/v) of 50 oregano honey samples by using the agar well method and the inhibition zones observed around each well were recorded. Although the inhibitory zones of the H. pylori isolated from the gastric ulcers were wide enough (0–34 mm), those strains, in general, appeared more resistant than the other eight (0–58 mm). The same result was observed when the same strains were tested against six antibiotics used in clini...
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Milk samples of ewes’ and goats’ unprocessed milk were collected from milk tanks from various farms in Epirus, Greece and classified in two groups according to the type of farming. Analyses of the samples included microbial inhibition... more
Milk samples of ewes’ and goats’ unprocessed milk were collected from milk tanks from various farms in Epirus, Greece and classified in two groups according to the type of farming. Analyses of the samples included microbial inhibition assays to detect the presence of antibiotic residues, isolation of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains as microbiological indicators for susceptibility to antimicrobial medicines, Somatic Cells and Coagulase Negative Staphylococci (CNS) counts. These findings were correlated with each other as well as to the stage of the lactation period and to the type of the farming practices. Monitoring of bulk tank milk for residues of antibiotics should be performed after heating of the milk, on a regular basis, and should include at least two different tests. The results point out that the type of farming affects the CNS counts as well as the prevalence of residues in the milk. Furthermore, the inverse correlation between CNS counts and prevalence ...
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The gut microbiome is known as an important predictive tool for perceiving characteristic shifts in disease states. Multiple renal diseases and pathologies seem to be associated with gut dysbiosis which directly affects host homeostasis.... more
The gut microbiome is known as an important predictive tool for perceiving characteristic shifts in disease states. Multiple renal diseases and pathologies seem to be associated with gut dysbiosis which directly affects host homeostasis. The gastrointestinal-kidney dialogue confers interesting information about the pathogenesis of multiple kidney diseases. Moreover, aging is followed by specific shifts in the human microbiome, and gradual elimination of physiological functions predisposes the microbiome to inflammaging, sarcopenia, and disease. Aging is characterized by a microbiota with an abundance of disease-associated pathobionts. Multiple factors such as the immune system, environment, medication, diet, and genetic endowment are involved in determining the age of the microbiome in health and disease. Our present review promotes recently acquired knowledge and is expected to inspire researchers to advance studies and investigations on the involved pathways of the gut microbiota ...
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To study the antibacterial effect of different Greek honeys, samples of citrus honey, Saturja spp. Honey, and oregano and sage honey were collected directly from producers. Manuka honey and artificial honey were used as controls. The... more
To study the antibacterial effect of different Greek honeys, samples of citrus honey, Saturja spp. Honey, and oregano and sage honey were collected directly from producers. Manuka honey and artificial honey were used as controls. The honeys were diluted in various concentrations to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and were also placed in agar wells to determine the inhibitory zones of growth. The bacteria tested were two reference strains and five pathogens isolated from patients with various dental ailments. A series of samples were diluted with artificial saliva instead of distilled water to simulate the conditions in the oral cavity. The results show that in most cases the Greek honeys, and particularly the citrus honey and the oregano and sage honey, outperformed the antibacterial activity of manuka honey against all tested bacteria. This performance was due to the hydrogen peroxide as well as to other components of the honeys, that is, peptides and other sub...
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The natural process of aging gradually causes changes in living organisms, leading to the deterioration of organs, tissues, and cells. In the case of osteoarthritis (OA), the degradation of cartilage is a result of both mechanical stress... more
The natural process of aging gradually causes changes in living organisms, leading to the deterioration of organs, tissues, and cells. In the case of osteoarthritis (OA), the degradation of cartilage is a result of both mechanical stress and biochemical factors. Natural products have already been evaluated for their potential role in the prevention and treatment of OA, providing a safe and effective adjunctive therapeutic approach. This review aimed to assess the therapeutic potential of natural products and their derivatives in osteoarthritis via a systematic search of literature after 2008, including in vitro, in vivo, ex vivo, and animal models, along with clinical trials and meta-analysis. Overall, 170 papers were obtained and screened. Here, we presented findings referring to the preventative and therapeutic potential of 17 natural products and 14 naturally occurring compounds, underlining, when available, the mechanisms implicated. The nature of OA calls to initially focus on ...
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Microorganisms can contaminate food, thus causing food spoilage and health risks when the food is consumed. Foods are not sterile; they have a natural flora and a transient flora reflecting their environment. To ensure food is safe, we... more
Microorganisms can contaminate food, thus causing food spoilage and health risks when the food is consumed. Foods are not sterile; they have a natural flora and a transient flora reflecting their environment. To ensure food is safe, we must destroy these microorganisms or prevent their growth. Recurring hazards due to lapses in the handling, processing, and distribution of foods cannot be solved by obsolete methods and inadequate proposals. They require positive approach and resolution through the pooling of accumulated knowledge. As the industrial domain evolves rapidly and we are faced with pressures to continually improve both products and processes, a considerable competitive advantage can be gained by the introduction of predictive modeling in the food industry. Research and development capital concerns of the industry have been preserved by investigating the plethora of factors able to react on the final product. The presence of microorganisms in foods is critical for the qual...
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A recently isolate from feta type cheese, potential probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei K5, was applied for pomegranate juice (Punica granutum L.) fermentation. Fermentations were carried out for 24 h followed by the storage of... more
A recently isolate from feta type cheese, potential probiotic strain Lactobacillus paracasei K5, was applied for pomegranate juice (Punica granutum L.) fermentation. Fermentations were carried out for 24 h followed by the storage of pomegranate juices at 4 °C for 4 weeks. The parameters examined were a composition of volatile compounds, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, and consumers’ acceptance. The results were encouraging showing that lactic acid fermentation enhanced the composition of volatile compounds even at the fourth week of storage. Increased antioxidant activity (151.44 mg TE/100 mL at the second week) and total phenolics content (285 mg GAE/100 mL at the third week) were observed for all the storage times compared to the initial pomegranate beverage. The fermented pomegranate beverage received better scores for the last 3 weeks of cold storage compared to the non-fermented one. Likewise, L. paracasei K5 was proved to be suitable for the production of functio...
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The present study describes the development of a novel functional beverage through the application of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) 14917 in Cornelian cherry juice fermentation. The probiotic... more
The present study describes the development of a novel functional beverage through the application of probiotic Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) 14917 in Cornelian cherry juice fermentation. The probiotic was employed in free and immobilized in a delignified wheat bran carrier (DWB) form. Cornelian cherry juice was fermented for 24 h and then it was stored at 4 °C for 4 weeks. Several parameters were evaluated such as residual sugar, organic acid and alcohol levels, total phenolics content, and cell viability as well as consumers acceptance. Regarding sugar and organic acids analyses, it was proved that the probiotic free or immobilized biocatalyst was effective. The concentration of ethanol was maintained at low levels (0.3–0.9% v/v). The total phenolic content of fermented Cornelian cherry juice with immobilized cells was recorded in higher levels (214–264 mg GAE/100 mL) for all the cold storage time compared to fermented juice with free cells (165–1...
Research Interests: Chemistry, Food Science, Medicine, Antioxidants, Fermentation, and 4 moreProbiotic, Lactobacillus Plantarum, C, and B
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Ice used for direct human consumption or to preserve foods and cool down drinks can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and may potentially become a vehicle for consumer's infection. To evaluate physical, chemical and... more
Ice used for direct human consumption or to preserve foods and cool down drinks can be contaminated with pathogenic microorganisms and may potentially become a vehicle for consumer's infection. To evaluate physical, chemical and microbiological quality of commercial ice and ice used for fish and seafood, 100 ice samples collected at 10 different retail points in the region of Epirus were studied. The following microbiological parameters were determined: Total coliforms, fecal coliforms, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Yersinia spp., Escherichia coli, Campylobacter sp., Vibrio cholerae, Aeromonas spp., Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Clostridium perfringens. E. coli was detected in 22% and coliforms were detected in 31% of samples. Samples in which coliforms were detected fail to meet the microbiological criteria specified by the drinking water legislation. Aeromonas spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter sp. and V. cholerae were not detected. Spore forms of C. perfringens were prevalent at 35% and the psychotropic bacterium's P. aeruginosa and Yersinia spp. were found only at three samples each. The presence of large numbers of coliforms as well as of other pathogenic strains suggested that commercial ice and ice used to make cool drinks or in preservation of fish and seafood may represent a potential hazard to the consumer. In view of the results reported herein, it is highly recommended that national regulatory guidelines should be established for the production of ice as long as regular inspections.