Status report on global Neem usage - Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal

Table 2.4: Analysis of neem oil for micro-organisms
2. GLOBAL NEEM DISSEMINATION AND USAGE
Micro-organisms Permitted concentration *
Aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) Total: 4µg/g
East fungus, mould fungus and bacteria Total: 500 units/g
Enterobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
No contamination
* According to the regulations in Germany foodstuffs and cosmetic products should not contain
more than 4 µg aflatoxin (B1, B2, G1, G2) per kg. Three specific pathogens must not be present:
Enterobacter, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Three groups of aerobic
micro-organisms are analysed together: yeast fungus, mould fungus and bacteria. The total of
these three groups should be below 500 units per gram.
The best method for obtaining a high quality oil is to mill seed of the best quality. Another
possibility is to filter it through a special membrane, but this method is very expensive and it
is possible that the oil loses some important ingredients.
When leaves and bark are used in cosmetics best quality raw material should be taken. The
best harvesting period for high-quality leaves and bark is just after the main seed harvest
season. This is also the best time to make a formation cut on trees, so that leaves, twigs and
bark are available automatically. As with the seeds, it is important that the harvested
materials are dried rapidly under clean conditions. Storage conditions also must be clean and
dry.
2.4 Evaluation of the Questionnaire "Global Neem Usage“
- General Questions Pertaining to Neem
This chapter focuses on the results obtained on evaluating the general questionnaires, the
key emphasis being on neem usage.
To enable a better comparison, the results of the evaluation were put into different groups.
The general questions were grouped according to regions such as Asia, Africa and the
Caribbean/Latin America, with the industrialised countries as a separate group. The specific
questions, which allowed for several responses, were grouped together.
The diagrams show the frequency of positive responses in relation to the number of completed
questionnaires. It has to be pointed out at this juncture that the relation between the
responses received are not a fully appropriate reflection of the relations between the regions/
countries. Conclusions could only be made as to the presence or absence of the criteria
referred to in the questionnaires. Conclusions as to the number of trees and their distribution,
in particular the various forms of neem usage in the given regions/countries, are frequently
based on estimates by the individuals and institutions questioned.
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