Microbiological Quality and Heavy Metals Content of some Spices and Herbs Kinds

Abstract

This study included the assessment of microbial contamination of about 25 samples of spices and herbs in addition to the content of heavy metals for these samples. The highest number of bacteria was 25.40x10 7 cfu/g in the pepper powder and the lowest number was (34.50x10 cfu/g) in cinnamon, followed by black pepper powder and turmeric powder were 63.66x10 6 cfu/g and 68.87 x10 6 cfu/g; respectively. Yeasts were found in caraway seeds and spices blends only, while fungi found in all plates of the samples. The fungi and yeasts count were ranged from 29.44x10 4 cfu/g to 19.26x10 6 cfu/g of caraway whole seeds and cumin whole seeds; respectively, while in the cayenne pepper powder was the highest count of fungi and yeasts was higher than 10x10 6 cfu/g. The analysis of heavy metals for about 12 samples of spices and herbs showed that the aluminum level was very high in both spices and herbs, ranging from 137.1 to 900.8 ppm. Arsenic ranged from 0.1 ppm to 4.8 ppm, with the highest percentage in spices blends (4.8 ppm). The cadmium concentration ranged from 0.01 ppm in cayenne pepper to 0.10 ppm in cumin, the chromium ranged between 1.0 ppm in green cardamom to 11.6 ppm in coriander. Nickel was not present in all studied samples and its results were zero. Lead ranges from 2.3 ppm in cumin to 13.9 ppm in spice blends. Many of these values are higher than the maximum allowable limits as recommended by FAO / WHO and can be considered unacceptable for many of the samples studied.