TABLE 4.
Total viable counts on non-selective and selective growth media along the processing chain of cricket flour.
| Growth media | Untreated crickets [Log10 CFU/gDM] | Washed crickets [Log10 CFU/gDM] | Steamed crickets [Log10 CFU/gDM] | Dried crickets (110°C, 3 h) [Log10 CFU/gDM] | Cricket flour [Log10 CFU/gDM] |
| PCA [Aerobic mesophilic total viable count] | 9.24 ± 0.38a | 8.51 ± 0.48b | 2.83 ± 0.42c | 1.75 ± 0.25d | 1.98 ± 0.28d |
| TBX [Escherichia coli] | 6.77 ± 0.25a | 5.91 ± 0.34b | <2.10*c | <1.63*d | <1.63*d |
| VRBG [Enterobacteriaceae] | 8.01 ± 0.75a | 7.10 ± 0.35b | <2.10*c | <1.63*d | <1.63*d |
| PEMBA [Bacillus cereus] | 9.33 ± 0.33a | 8.53 ± 0.35b | 2.61 ± 0.55c | 1.64 ± 0.02d | 1.88 ± 0.35d |
| KAA [Enterococcus] | 9.01 ± 0.45a | 8.20 ± 0.40b | <2.10*c | <1.63*d | 1.65 ± 0.02d |
| TSC [Clostridium perfringens] | 9.16 ± 0.44a | 8.19 ± 0.65a | 2.42 ± 0.38a | <1.63*a | 1.64 ± 0.01a |
| BP [Staphylococcus] | 8.62 ± 0.70a | 7.70 ± 0.53b | 2.45 ± 0.40c | 1.64 ± 0.02d | 1.70 ± 0.14d |
| DRBC [Yeasts and moulds] | 6.45 ± 0.33a | 5.62 ± 0.48b | <2.10*c | < 1.63*d | 1.64 ± 0.01d |
| NA [Aerobic mesophilic spore-forming bacteria] | 4.14 ± 1.61a | 3.91 ± 1.81a | 3.54 ± 2.09a,b | <1.63*b | 1.70 ± 0.14b |
*Below the detection limit. Letters in the rows represent significant differences at the significance level p < 0.05.