Abstract In this study, mineral element and heavy metal levels in bee pollen produced in various regions of Turkey (20 samples) and imported bee pollen (4 samples), were determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) device. Mineral and heavy metal levels of bee pollens produced in Turkey were determined to be within the following ranges (minimum-maximum, µg/gpollen); Cr (chromium): 0.124-1.595, Cu (copper): 3.728-14.994, Fe (iron): 28.603-725.360, Mg (magnesium): 271.107-1278.340, Mn (manganese): 8.151-201.036, Se (selenium): 0.593-5.085, Zn (zinc): 14.832-39.079, B (boron): 0.592-61.33, Ni (nickel): 0.002-1.761, Si (silicon): 0.082-10.500, K (potassium): 992.107-2894.154, Ca (calcium): 491.853-1472.102, P (phosphorus): 795.899-5246.992 and Cd (cadmium): 0.006-0.181, Pb (lead): 0.000-0.479, As (arsenic): 0.006-1.035. As a result of this study, it can be concluded that bee pollens produced in Turkey may be a good source of mineral regarding the trace elements Se, Mn, Fe, Cr and Cu.

The purpose of this study was to determine the microbiological air quality (psychrotrophic bacteria and airborne fungi) and distribution of fungi in different types of ready-to-eat (RTE) food-storage refrigerators (n=48) at selected retail stores in the city of Edirne, Turkey. Refrigerators were categorized according to the type of RTE food-storage: meat products, vegetables, desserts, or a mix of food types. Microbiological quality of air samples was evaluated by using a Mas-100 Eco Air Sampler. Four refrigerators (all containing meat products, 8.3%) produced air samples with undetectable microorganisms. The highest detected mean value of airborne psychrotrophic bacteria and fungi was 82.3 CFU/m³ and 54.6 CFU/m³, respectively and were found in mixed-food refrigerators. The dominant airborne fungal genera found were Penicillium (29.0%), Aspergillus (12.0%), Mucor (9%), Cladosporium (8%), Botyrtis (7%), and Acremonium (6%). By definition, RTE food does not undergo a final treatment to ensure its safety prior to consumption. Therefore, ensuring a clean storage environment for these foods is important to prevent food-borne disease and other health risks.