The objective of this study was to identify fungi and bacteria associated with the post-harvest rot of ginger rhizomes (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) in the Serrana region of Espírito Santo, Brazil. Rhizomes with symptoms of rot were sampled in the packing-house and in the field soon after harvest. In the packing-house, we report positive pathogenicity tests for Acremonium murorum, Acrostalagmus luteo-albus, Fusarium sp., Fusarium oxysporum, Lasiodiplodia theobromae and Sclerotium rolfsii. For the rhizomes sampled during harvest, the mean incidence of pathogens was as follows: F. oxysporum, 74%; Fusarium sp., 31%; Fusarium solani, 21%; Nigrospora oryzae, 5%; Fusarium semitectum and Nigrospora sphaerica, 6%; Alternaria tenuissima, 4%; Penicillium commune, Verticillium sp.(1) and Verticillium sp.(2), 3%; A. luteo-albus, Aspergillus niger, Chaetomium sp. and Epicoccum sp., 2%; and Curvularia geniculata and Mucor hiemalis, 1%. The mean incidence of bacteria that cause soft rot was as follows: Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae, 4%; and Pseudomonas fluorescens, 1%. The presence of Enterobacter cloacae subsp. cloacae indicated probable fecal contamination. This is the first record of ginger rhizome rot caused by P. fluorescens in the world and the first from A. murorum, A. luteo-albus, L. theobromae and E. cloacae subsp. cloacae causing ginger rhizome rot in Brazil.

A presença de microrganismos indicadores de contaminação na linha de abate de frangos foi determinada visando identificar os possíveis pontos de controle e oferecer uma opção para o monitoramento ou a verificação pelo sistema "Análise de Perigos e Pontos Críticos de Controle" (APPCC). A contaminação superficial das carcaças foi determinada pela enumeração de microrganismos aeróbios mesófilos, coliformes totais, coliformes termotolerantes e de Escherichia coli nas seguintes fases de abate: A - antes do primeiro chuveiro de higienização, B - após o primeiro chuveiro, C - após a evisceração manual, D - após o chuveiro de lavagem final e E - na saída do pré-resfriamento. Não houve diferença significativa (P<0,05) entre as médias de mesófilos, coliformes totais e termotolerantes, entre as fases A, B, C e D. Entretanto, as médias obtidas para esses microrganismos indicadores na fase E (pré-resfriamento) foram significativamente menores. Não houve diferença significativa entre as médias de Escherichia coli nas cinco fases. As chances de contaminação (Razão de Chances) por mesófilos foram maiores na fase A e por coliformes na fase C. Entre os parâmetros analisados, os níveis de contaminação por mesófilos, coliformes totais e termotolerantes foram os mais indicados para monitoramento e verificação de um plano APPCC no abate de aves. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que a fase de pré-resfriamento pode ser considerada um importante ponto crítico de controle, uma vez que foi capaz de reduzir a contaminação microbiológica de forma significativa.

Hygiene indicator microorganisms in a poultry slaughter was evaluated during the processing in order to identify potential critical control points and allow options for monitoring or verification by Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system. Microbiological superficial contamination of chicken carcasses was establish by the enumeration of mesophilic aerobes, total coliforms, thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli in the following steps of processing: A - before the first hygienic shower, B - after the first hygienic shower, C - after manual evisceration, D - after final washing shower, and E - after the chiller tank. The mean counts of mesophilic aerobes, total and thermotolerant coliforms was not significantly different (P<0.05) in the steps A, B, C and D. However, the mean values of these microorganisms in step E (after chilling) was significantly lower when compared to the one obtained in the other steps. The mean counts of Escherichia coli were not significantly different, independently of the processing step analyzed. The chances of contamination were estimated by Odds Ration, and it was observed that chances were higher in the step A for mesophilic aerobes, and in the step C for coliforms. Considering the analyzed parameters, the levels of contamination by mesophilic aerobes, total and thermotolerant coliforms were the most suitable for monitoring and verification of a HACCP system in a poultry processing plant. The obtained results indicate that the chilling can be considered as an important critical control point, once this procedure was able to reduce significantly the microbiological contamination.