Výskumný ústav potravinársky

Nayab, A. K. – Valík, Ľ. – Piecková, E.
Simple and affordable method for monitoring the microbiological quality of industrial air in developing countries
Journal of Food and Nutrition Research, 62, 2023, č. 3, s. 277-284

Ľubomír Valík, Department of Nutrition and Food Quality Assessment, Institute of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology, Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Radlinského 9, 81237 Bratislava, Slovakia. E-mail: lubomir.valik@stuba.sk

Original article
Received 12 May 2023; 1st revised 16 June 2023; accepted 11 July 2023; published online 4 September 2023

Súhrn: Monitoring the microbiological quality of air in developing and least-developed countries, particularly in small and medium-sized food manufacturing enterprises, is a major challenge owing to economic and technical constraints. This study aimed to address the issue and observe the feasibility of using the gravimetric method as a less expensive and reliable alternative to the standard but the more expensive volumetric method. The gravimetric and volumetric methods were used to assess the microbiological quality of indoor air in the dairy industry. The gravimetric method was accomplished as per the index of microbiological air contamination (IMA) and the volumetric method using an aeroscope. Obtained results were compared using the statistical t-test and correlation test. Both methods produced quite similar results with a p-value > 0.210, which is much higher than the significance level of 0.05, and with Pearson’s correlation coefficient R > 0.996, which shows a strong positive association between the two data sets. The obtained data suggest that the gravimetric method can give results similar to the volumetric method and it can be used to monitor the microbiological quality of industrial air as a good alternative. However, a comprehensive standardization of the gravimetric method is recommended prior to its application.

Kľúčové slová: gravimetric method; aeroscope; food industry; airborne; fungi; least-developed economies

Na stiahnutie:
  jfnr-2023-3-pp277-284-nayab.pdf (PDF, 438.89 Kb, 117x)