The physico-chemical and microbiological properties of wheat flour samples (type 650) obtained from 7 different locations in the Thrace region (Turkey) were assessed. | Research Article Turk J Agric For 33 (2009) 445-454 © TÜBİTAK doi: The physico-chemical and microbiological properties of wheat flour in Thrace Ali AYDIN1,*, Peter PAULSEN2, Frans . SMULDERS2 1Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, İstanbul University, 34320 Avcılar, İstanbul - TURKEY 2Institute of Meat Hygiene, Meat Technology and Food Science, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, A-1210 Vienna - AUSTRIA Received: Abstract: The physico-chemical and microbiological properties of wheat flour samples (type 650) obtained from 7 different locations in the Thrace region (Turkey) were assessed. Totally 142 wheat flour samples were analysed physicochemically in terms of ash, moisture, fat acidity, and protein amounts, and microbiologically in terms of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (TMAB), Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium perfringens, moulds, rope-spore counts, and Salmonella spp. In the physico-chemical parameters investigated, only the ash levels of flour samples were higher than the limit laid down in the Turkish Food Codex and Codex Alimentarius. In some locations, the levels of TMAB, E. coli, and rope spores were found to be higher than the legal limits in Turkish legislation. On the other hand, the differences among investigated areas were significant physico-chemically in terms of ash, moisture, fat acidity, and protein parameters, and microbiologically in terms of TMAB, E. coli, C. perfringens, and moulds (P 1100 MPN g were found in 14 samples () originating from locations 3, 4, 5, and 6. 1 -1 B. cereus counts were > 10 cfu g in of the samples; maximum counts, however, did not exceed 103 cfu g-1. For all samples, C. perfringens counts were below 4 -1 the maximum acceptable limit ( × 10 cfu g ) specified in the Turkish Food Codex (2001). The mean mould counts in all locations studied were × 101 to × 104 (location 3) cfu g-1. .
