Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
51. A Study of the Microbiological Quality of Tahina Manufactured in Jordan
(2001)
Jawad Kadom Isa\ University of Jordan
Supervisor: Dr.: Mohammed Isam Yamani
Tahina is manufactured in Jordan and in some other Arab-countries. This study
was undertaken to study the microbial content of tahina produced in Jordan, including
some food-borne pathogens. The effect of storage at room temperature on the
microbial content of tahina, as well as on the survival of Salmonella, which had been
inoculated into tahina were also investigated. Furthermore, this study also includes the
determination of water activity (aw) and pH of tahina.
Fourteen tahina plants in various areas of Amman were visited. In every visit, the
manufacturing method used was reported and the steps were recorded. These visits
have demonstrated that two manufacturing methods of tahina.
The traditional (wet) method, and modern (dry) method. Ten plants (71%) were
following the traditional method, whereas four plants were following the modern
method. In every visit, hygienic status and manufacturing conditions were evaluated
according to the requirements of the Jordanian Standard General Principles (JS:
493/1987) (General Principles of Food Hygiene). Conformity in plants which follow
the modern (dry) method was higher than that in the plants which follow the traditional
(wet) method. Most of tahina plants still devoid of a permanent hygiene control
program for monitoring implementation of the requirements of food safety and
sanitation including handlers training.
The APC of tahina samples immediately after production ranged between
1x10 2 /g and 4x10 4 /g, with an average of 5.2x10 3 /g. The average of APC after two and
four months of storage at room temperature were 3.4x10 3 /g, 1.7x10 3 /g, respectively.
The LABC of tahina samples immediately after production ranged between