Study on the microbiological quality of industrialized and handmade cashew nuts (Anacardium occidentale L.)

Abstract

This study evaluated the microbiological quality of industrialized and handmade cashew nuts sold by street sellers in Teresina, PI. Forty samples of cashew nuts were collected, being 21 samples of industrialized products from three brands (“A”, “B” and “C”) and 19 samples of handmade nuts (“D”), which were analyzed on coliforms enumeration at 35 °C and 45 °C (MPN/g), Salmonella spp. isolation, and fungi and yeasts counting. Samples of brand “D” showed the highest coliforms counting at 35 °C (1.16 × 101 MPN/g); values of 7.0 MPN/g were found for coliforms at 45 °C, and of 1.22 × 102 CFU/g for fungi and yeasts. In the brand “A” samples, values of 4.0 MPN/g for coliforms at 35 °C and 45 °C, and of 1.0 × 102 CFU/g for fungi and yeasts were detected. Forty-three fungi strains were isolated. The mostly prevalent species were the aggregated Aspergillus niger (64.7%), P. corylophillum (33.3%) and P. citrinum (29.2%). The samples of industrialized cashew nuts and the handmade nuts showed satisfactory hygienic and sanitary conditions in compliance with the legislation in force.