Abstract

RAMOS-ROSTRO, Beverly et al. Sanitary quality of foods processed with red agave worm (Comadia redtembacheri H.) in San Juan Teotihuacán, Estado de México, México. Agrociencia [online]. 2016, vol.50, n.4, pp.391-402. ISSN 2521-9766.

The tendency for regional gastronomy to be part of the tourist experience is ever growing. The red maguey or agave worm (Comadia redtembacheri Hammershmidt, 1848 Lepidoptera Cossidae) is an edible insect collected in some states of Mexico and is used to make gastronomic specialities sold in touristic and gastronomic corridors. Therefore, the microbiological quality of this type of food must be known. Indicator microorganisms of hygienic quality of foods such as aerobic mesophilic bacteria, fungi, yeasts, total and fecal coliforms and Salmonella spp. were quantified from samples of dishes prepared with red maguey worms. These samples were collected from 18 food and beverage establishments in the tourist area of San Juan Teotihuacan, Estado de Mexico, during September and November 2010. This study was conducted based on the Mexican official standards. The experimental design used was paired or related samples and the Wilcoxon signed-ranks test was also applied, taking as pairs the September and November determinations in a same establishment. Mesophilic Aerobic bacteria count was less than the maximum limit set by the Official Mexican Standard NOM-093-SSA1-1994. All samples were free of total and fecal coliforms, regardless of the time of sampling. The maximum values of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, moulds and yeasts were reported in November. Between the two periods, no significant difference (p>0.05) was found in the counts of the indicator organisms. Salmonella spp. was not detected in samples. The dishes prepared with red agave worm sold in the tourist area of San Juan Teotihuacan have an acceptable microbiological quality.

Keywords : Anthropoentomophagy; edible insects; red agave worm; Comadia redtembacheri; microbiological quality; sanitary quality.

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