title: Microbial contamination of date rutab collected from the markets of Al-Hofuf City in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: The microbial contamination of 60 samples from six date cultivars in the rutab stage purchased from different retail outlets in AL-Hofuf City, Saudi Arabia was studied. All samples were found contaminated with aerobic mesophilic bacteria at loads in the order 10(2) to 10(5) cfu/cm(2) with some significant differences among varieties that can be attributed to differences in the weather conditions during rutab season. Also all samples, except only one, were contaminated with molds and yeasts at loads in the order 10(2) to 10(3) cfu/cm(2). Potentially pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 57 samples and A. flavus/parasiticus in 13 samples, while coliforms were detected in 39 samples.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 420, Al-Hofuf 31982, Saudi Arabia. siddighamad@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Siddig H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hamad
authors.forename: Farag A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Mutlag M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al-Otaibi
mesh_terms: D028023:Arecaceae / Q000382:microbiology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003132:Commerce; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification