Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products

Müjde Havva Koçaklı; Kamuran Ayhan

Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products

Abstract

This study evaluated the microbiological quality of raw materials, final products, processing water, air, and production surfaces in a commercial bakery producing lavash and baklava phyllo. Sampling was conducted during three independent visits. Total viable counts (TVC), yeasts and molds, coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, and presumptive Staphylococcus aureus were determined as appropriate, and water activity (aw) of the final products was measured. Airborne microbial counts varied among production areas and visits, with TVC ranging from 3 to 27 CFU/plate/15 min in the lavash line and from 3 to 34 CFU/plate/15 min in the baklava phyllo line. Among raw materials, whole-wheat flour showed the highest microbial loads, with TVC of 2.0 × 10⁴–4.3 × 10⁴ CFU/g and coliform counts of 4.3 to >110 MPN/g. In contrast, both lavash and baklava phyllo consistently showed TVC and yeast and mold counts below 10 CFU/g, while coliforms and E. coli were not detected. Microbial contamination of production surfaces varied considerably among sampling visits, with localized high counts observed particularly on dough-handling areas and the flour sack. Processing water showed low microbial loads, and coliforms and E. coli were not detected in any of the water samples. Water activity ranged from 0.878 to 0.885 in lavash and from 0.771 to 0.891 in baklava phyllo. Overall, the findings indicate satisfactory microbiological quality of the final products but also demonstrate the importance of routine environmental monitoring to identify localized and temporally variable contamination within bakery production environments.

Keywords

Bakery hygiene, Lavash, Baklava phyllo, Microbial contamination, Environmental monitoring, Food-contact surfaces

Supporting Institution

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Ankara University under the Graduate Thesis Project scheme.

Project Number

Project No. 16L0443005

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Food Microbiology

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Müjde Havva Koçaklı
0009-0000-2659-7667
Türkiye

Kamuran Ayhan ^*
0000-0002-0206-381X
Türkiye

Early Pub Date

October 27, 2026

Publication Date

October 29, 2026

Submission Date

August 26, 2026

Acceptance Date

October 26, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 1 Number: 2

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK

APA

Koçaklı, M. H., & Ayhan, K. (2026). Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products. Food Science Insights, 1(2), 74-85. https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK

AMA

1.Koçaklı MH, Ayhan K. Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products. Food Science Insights. 2026;1(2):74-85. https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK

Chicago

Koçaklı, Müjde Havva, and Kamuran Ayhan. 2026. “Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products”. Food Science Insights 1 (2): 74-85. https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK.

EndNote

Koçaklı MH, Ayhan K (October 1, 2026) Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products. Food Science Insights 1 2 74–85.

IEEE

[1]M. H. Koçaklı and K. Ayhan, “Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products”, Food Science Insights, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 74–85, Oct. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK

ISNAD

Koçaklı, Müjde Havva - Ayhan, Kamuran. “Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products”. Food Science Insights 1/2 (October 1, 2026): 74-85. https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK.

JAMA

1.Koçaklı MH, Ayhan K. Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products. Food Science Insights. 2026;1:74–85.

MLA

Koçaklı, Müjde Havva, and Kamuran Ayhan. “Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products”. Food Science Insights, vol. 1, no. 2, Oct. 2026, pp. 74-85, https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK.

Vancouver

1.Müjde Havva Koçaklı, Kamuran Ayhan. Microbiological Hygiene Assessment of a Commercial Bakery: From Raw Materials and Processing Environment to Final Products. Food Science Insights [Internet]. 2026 Oct. 1;1(2):74-85. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA93FF77KK