Investigation of microbiological quality of powdered infant formulas and their suitability for formula preparation recommendations

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the microbiological quality of powdered infant formulas on sale in Turkey and to assess the compliance of the preparation instructions recommended by the formula companies with the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO). In the study, 36 powdered infant formulas belonging to 10 different companies were analysed regarding the presence of Cronobacter sakazakii, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, coliform and faecal coliform, mould-yeast, total mesophilic aerobic bacteria counts. C. sakazakii was detected in two of the examined formula samples. At various levels, B. cereus in nine, S. auerus in four, coliform bacteria in 10 and faecal coliform bacteria in eight of the formula samples were found and these identified values were discovered above the legal limits. When the compliance of the preparation instructions recommended by the formula companies with the WHO guidelines was evaluated, the instruction requiring the water temperature to be >70°C, which is critical in the control of C. sakazakii, was not included in the preparation instructions of any formula companies. Although the microbiological quality of the formulas was determined by the legal limits, it was observed that the targeted microbiological quality could not be reached in some of the examined formula samples and the instructions prepared by the companies may not be adequate for the food safety. 

Keywords

• Powdered Infant Formula
• Microbiological Quality
• Formula Preparation Instructions

Toz bebek mamalarının mikrobiyolojik kalitelerinin ve mama hazırlama önerilerine uygunluğunun araştırılması

Öz

Bu çalışmada Türkiye piyasasında satışa sunulan toz bebek mamalarının mikrobiyolojik kalitelerinin incelenmesi ve mama firmaları tarafından önerilen hazırlama talimatlarının Dünya Sağlık Örgütü (DSÖ) tavsiyelerine uygunluğunun değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmada 10 farklı firmaya ait 36 adet toz bebek maması Cronobacter sakazakii, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, koliform ve fekal koliform bakteri, küf-maya, toplam mezofilik aerobik canlı bakteri sayıları açısından incelenmiştir. Mama firmaları tarafından önerilen hazırlama talimatlarının DSÖ önerilerine uygunluğu değerlendirilmiştir. İncelenen mama örneklerinin iki tanesinde C. sakazakii tespit edilmiştir. Mama örneklerinin dokuz tanesinde B. cereus, dört tanesinde S. auerus, 10 tanesinde koliform ve sekiz tanesinde fekal koliform bakteri çeşitli düzeylerde saptanmış olup belirlenen bu değerler yasal limitlerin üzerinde bulunmuştur. Mama firmaları tarafından önerilen hazırlama talimatlarının DSÖ önerilerine uygunluğu değerlendirildiğinde, C. sakazakii’nin kontrolünde kritik nokta olan su sıcaklığının >70°C olması gerektiğine dair bir talimat hiçbir mama firması tarafından belirtilmemiştir. Mamalarda mikrobiyolojik kalitenin yasal sınırlar ile belirlenmiş olmasına karşın incelenen mama örneklerinin bazılarında hedeflenen mikrobiyolojik kaliteye ulaşılamadığı ve firmalar tarafından belirtilen mama hazırlama talimatlarının gıda güvenliği açısından yeterli olmayabileceği gözlenmiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Toz Bebek Maması
• Mikrobiyolojik Kalite
• Mama Hazırlama Talimatları

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