الفهرس 
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Abstract
1- Quality evaluation of frozen and fresh quail carcases:
A total of 50 frozen as well as 50 freshly processed quail carcases either prepared at poulterer’s shops or at home were collected from Assiut supermarkets and farms and monitored for their quality attributes.
Although all frozen quail carcases showed some deviations in the physical characters as the dark sunken eyes. flesh not give evenly on pressing in addition to the blakish discolourtion in the region of the vent in two carcases only which may be due to the effect of freezing storage. the carcases were accepted. Furthennore, all the examined fresh quail carcases
either poulterer or home processed were organoleptically accepted.
The mean pH values of the examined frozen, fresh. poulterer processed and home processed quail carcases were 6.04 ± 0.04, 5.61 ± 0.04, 5.69 ± 0.05 and 5.50 ± 0.05. respectively while mean values of the cooking loss percentages were 41 ± 0.17, 41.44 ± 0.17, 41.3 ± 0.25 and
41.65 ± 0.22. respectively.
A significant difference in the pH values was observed between the different types of the examined quail carcases whereas a non significant difference in the cooking loss percentages was noticed between all types
of the examined quail carcases.
Regarding the microbiological status of the examined quail carcases, the. mean aerobic plate count (APC) values of the examined frozen. fresh, poulterer processed and home processed carcases were 6 .12x 103 ± 2.97, 4.82 x 103 ± 2.55, 5.75 x 103 ± 3.16 and 3.44 x 103 ± 1.51 cfulg,
processed) showed non detectable levels «lOO/g). Only one sample each from frozen and poulterer processed carcases had Staph sureus count V’J\\D.\n \\\e ”t’dn,&e \~3 _<.\~41’6. ~urthetm()te .• Clostridium perfringens could be detected in 4 and 10% of the examined frozen and poulterer processed quail carcases where the levels of contamination were from 102 to < 103 and from 10 to <102/ g, respectively.
A total of 75,36 and 20 bacterial isolates were recovered from the examined frozen, poulterer processed and home processed quail carcases respectively. The identified microorganisms were Clostridium perfringens, members of Enterobacteriaceae, Listeria monocytogenes, Staph aureus
and Yersinia spp.
Members of Enterobacteriaceae recovered from the examined frozen and fresh quail carcases in variant percentages were Citrobacter jreundi, Enterobacter aerogenes, E.cloacae, E.intermedius, E.coli, Morganella m organ ii, Proteus mirabilis, Providencia alcalifaciens,
P.rettgeri and P.stuartii.
Neither salmonellae nor campylobacters could be detected in any of the examined quail carcases. However, the public health significance of the isolated microorganisms was discussed and suggestive measures to produce high quality quail carcases and protect the consumer were
outlined.
11- Decontamination of quail carcases by organic acids and sorbate:
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A total of 45 quail carcases were divided into 9 gropus, each
consisted of 5 carcases. In each group, each carcase was split into two
halves. Batches of 5 quail carcases halves were used as control while the other halves were dipped for one minute in acetic acid (0.5, 1 and 1.5%), lactic acid (0.5, 1, 1.5) and potassium sorbate (1, 3 and 5%). The microbiological picture for each group was determined.
Low concentrations of acetic acid (0.5%) had no bactericidal effect on the aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliform and faecal coliform count whereas 1 and 1.5% had a marked bactericidal effect.
As for lactic acid, only 1 and 1.5% concentrations resulted III reduction of aerobic plate and Enterobacteriaceae count as compared with the untreated quail carcases.
On the other hand, potassium sorbate 5% was the most effective in decontaminating quail carcases regarding aerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and faecal coliforms.
In conclusion low concentrations of acetic acid, lactic acid and potassium sorbate were unreliable in their effect on the bacterial load of the examined quail carcases whereas the highest concentrations used were the most effective decontaminants.