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Extremely halophilic archaea (EHA) might play an important role in salted fish production. So far, limited information has been available on the effect of EHA and salt concentration on the safety and quality characteristics of salted anchovies. EightHalobacterium salinarumstrains were isolated from different sea salt samples and subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization. The strains were then inoculated into fresh salt before addition to anchovies. A total of 18 experimental productions were performed. The inoculated trials showed the lowest counts of undesired microorganisms. In particular, salted anchovies produced withHbt. salinarumH11 showed the lowest histamine concentration as well as the highest sensory scores. Differences in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were estimated among trials. Furthermore, multivariate analysis showed that experimental production performed with a reduced amount of salt (175 g of sea salt per kg of anchovies) did not affect the final quality of salted anchovies. The strainHbt. salinarumH11 produced salted anchovies with well-appreciated organoleptic features. Thus, the addition of EHA and the use of a lower amount of sea salt might represent a valuable alternative to the traditional method for production of salted anchovies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereals represent the main crop in Africa (45% of arable land) and make an important contribution to the human diet in this continent. Cereals for humans are not consumed raw. Fermentation technology is widely used in Africa to transform cereals into edible products as well as to preserve and enhance the nutritional and safety aspects of cereals. In general, in Africa, this process is not controlled and is devoid of good manufacturing practices (GMPs). Spoilage and/or pathogenic microorganisms may compromise the final quality when the fermentation is not controlled. This article focuses on the role that the fermentation process could play in creating safe food conditions in Africa. Taking into account the increasing demand for cereals, in particular maize and rice, which contain undesired microorganisms, fermentation can play an important role in creating food security and safety. Here, the authors report a detailed analysis of the cereal market, the main transformation processes used to obtain a variety of products from cereals, the most current information on the microbial ecology of the most important traditional fermented cereals, and the safety aspects of and the technological parameters for the selection of the strains to be used as starters for African cereal-based fermented products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Presents information on a study that investigated the rate and the level of contamination by Bacillus cereus in various fast foods. Methods of the study; Results and discussion.