Cukurova University (CU) Engineering Faculty Food Engineering Department Lecturer Prof. Dr. Işıl Var, in her study examining the microbiological effect of raw meatballs on human health, explained that they detected Salmonella and intestinal bacteria caused by poor hygiene conditions.
SALMONELLA DETECTED IN RAW MEATBALLS
Raw meatballs, a local product that is prepared by kneading and mixing bulgur, isot, minced meat, tomato paste, onion, parsley and various spices and consumed without cooking, is served in many restaurants, while it is offered for sale in specially opened sections in markets as well as chain dealers.
THE USE OF MEAT IS PROHIBITED
With a regulation made in 2008 in order to comply with European Union standards, the use of meat is prohibited in raw meatballs, and it is usually made and consumed with meat in homes, especially in Eastern and Southeastern Anatolia regions.
EXAMINED IN THE LABORATORY
prof. Dr. With Işıl Var, students made raw meatballs by sterilizing all materials under laboratory conditions. Within the scope of the study, besides the raw meatballs bought from markets, chain dealers and restaurants, the students also brought samples made by family members at home to the laboratory.
NEARLY ALL HAVE SALMONELLA
When all these samples were examined, Salmonella bacteria were found in almost all of the raw meatballs with meat, while intestinal bacteria called ‘E.coli’ and ‘E.coli O157:H7’, which resulted from poor hygiene conditions, were observed in other samples with and without meat. In the study, it was revealed that the products were microbiologically contaminated.
BACTERIA OF INFECTION OCCUPIED
Commenting on the research, Prof. Dr. Işıl Var said: “Food examinations require many years of work. This study, which I started in the 2000s, still continues from time to time. In this context, we also made raw meatballs with my students in the laboratory environment, in addition to the samples we took from outside. “We examined about 250 samples. We encountered salmonella bacteria in almost all of the meaty samples. We encountered salmonella in some of the raw meatball samples that we tried without meat, but we found that other intestinal bacteria other than salmonella were also very high. These bacteria cause intestinal inflammation. coli, which can cause cholera-like diarrhea, dehydration, and infant mortality in developing countries under malnutrition.”