ORCID Profile
0000-0002-9592-055X
Current Organisation
Jordan University of Science and Technology
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Publisher: Emerald
Date: 02-08-2021
Abstract: The aims of this study were to assess the food safety knowledge amongst domestic workers in the UAE and test the association between their socio-demographic characteristics and food safety knowledge. A non-probabilistic s le of 231 domestic workers who help families in food preparation and/or cooking participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants completed a questionnaire composed of socio-demographic characteristics and four different aspects of food safety knowledge (personal hygiene, food poisoning, cross-contamination and temperature control). It was observed that the domestic workers had inadequate knowledge about food safety with an overall food safety knowledge score of 32.9%. Total knowledge of “personal hygiene” and “cross-contamination” was relatively higher (46.2 and 43.9%, respectively) than that of “food poisoning” (18.1%) and “temperature control” (23.3%). A significant ( P -value 0.05) association was observed between overall food safety knowledge and marital status, age and education level, but not nationality of domestic workers (Asian or African). The findings of this study are expected to encourage policy makers mandate food safety trainings for this segment of the population besides helping them in creating awareness and training programs regarding food safety.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 08-06-2022
Abstract: Several types of cheeses including white brined cheese have been linked to listeriosis outbreaks worldwide. This study aimed to (i) investigate the in vitro inhibitory activity of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) at concentrations of 0.0125–0.1% against three Listeria monocytogenes strains at 10 or 37°C, (ii) evaluate the antimicrobial efficiency of chitosan‐based coating containing 1.0% ZnO NPs against L. monocytogenes on the surface or inside vacuum‐packaged white brined cheese at 4 or 10°C, and iii) determine the migration of ZnO NPs from the surface to the interior of cheeses using energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX). The antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs was higher at 37°C than at 10°C. The initial numbers (4.0 log CFU/ml) of two L. monocytogenes strains were reduced below detectable levels, while the third strain was reduced by 1.2 log CFU/ml at 37°C. At 10°C, the initial L. monocytogenes numbers were reduced by 0.4–1.9 log CFU/ml. Chitosan coating containing 1.0% ZnO NPs reduced L. monocytogenes numbers by 1.5 and 3.7 log CFU/g on the surface or by 0.9 and 1.5 log CFU/g in the interior of vacuum‐packed cheese stored at 10 or 4°C, respectively. The EDX results showed that ZnO NP levels remained constant on the cheese surface with no indication of migration into the cheese matrix at the end of storage. Practical Application : Chitosan and ZnO are antimicrobial agents and their combination in edible coatings has the potential for inactivating foodborne pathogens. Chitosan coating containing ZnO NPs can be used as an effective active packaging material to reduce numbers of L. monocytogenes in white brined cheese.
Publisher: Modestum Ltd
Date: 26-10-2022
DOI: 10.29333/EJGM/12575
Abstract: b Introduction: /b Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by a relatively new coronavirus strain known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has become a significant worldwide health concern. The hesitancy of people to accept vaccination or implement the preventive measures following vaccination can be considered a serious issue that increases the spread of COVID-19. The objectives of the current study were to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccination and the adoption of preventive measures following vaccination among the general population in Jordan and to compare the perceived stresses between the vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. br / b Methods: /b An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults above the age of 18 years in Jordan during the period June-October 2021. The survey has six sections: (1) socio-demographic characteristics, (2) vaccination status, (3) knowledge of participants about COVID-19 vaccination, (4) attitude of participants about COVID-19 vaccination, (5) implementation of preventive practices among participants following COVID-19 vaccination, and (6) perceived stress toward COVID-19 among vaccinated and unvaccinated participants. br / b Results: /b 605 respondents (69.8% female and 30.2% male) aged between 30-49 years completed the questionnaire. More than half were married and 40.5% received one (29.8%) or two doses (10.7%) of a vaccine. Generally, they showed a positive attitude toward COVID-19 vaccination with a value of 12.7 out of 19. Most of them (& %) showed proactive practices following vaccination by implementing some preventive measures such as implementing social distancing, avoiding crowded places, and shaking hands. The average perceived stress scale of the general population in Jordan was moderate with a value of 21.5 out of 40. However, fully or partially vaccinated in iduals had a significantly (p=0.03) lower PSS (20.97) than unvaccinated people (21.87). br / b Conclusion: /b The respondents have a good knowledge and positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination with good practices following vaccination. However, unvaccinated in iduals were more likely to be stressed than vaccinated people. This study may assist policymakers to enhance the extent of COVID-19 vaccination and reduce the spread of this infection.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 14-04-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 09-08-2018
Publisher: American Dairy Science Association
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: American Dairy Science Association
Date: 08-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 26-05-2023
Abstract: This study aimed to investigate the behavior of Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes in processed date paste and syrup at different temperatures. Commercial products were inoculated with approximately 6 log CFU/mL of S. enterica or L. monocytogenes and stored at 4, 10, and 24°C for 90 days. S. enterica was able to survive in date products until the end of storage at 4°C. At this temperature, numbers decreased by 2.1 log CFU/g in date paste and by 3.4 log CFU/g in date syrup however, at 10°C, cells were reduced .2 log CFU/g and were undetectable by direct plating in date paste or by enrichment (complete elimination) in syrup. Further, at 24°C, complete elimination of S. enterica was achieved in date paste and syrup by 30 and 7 days, respectively. L. monocytogenes numbers decreased by 1.4, 4.4, and .6 log CFU/g in date paste stored at 4, 10, and 24°C for 90 days, respectively. In date syrup, numbers of L. monocytogenes decreased to undetectable levels by 50, 14, and 4 days at 4, 10, and 24°C, respectively, by direct plating and complete elimination was observed at 10 and 24°C by 50 and 30 days of storage, respectively. The initial pH values of date paste and syrup were 4.7 and 4.8, respectively, and remained stable until the end of storage except for L. monocytogenes ‐inoculated syrup. Salmonella enterica and Listeria monocytogenes can easily survive in date paste and syrup particularly at refrigerator temperature, which explains the necessity of preventing the contamination of date products with foodborne pathogens.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 13-01-2022
Abstract: The study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of 0.5 or 1% (w/w) chitosan and 1% (w/w) garlic against Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes in hummus dip stored at 4, 10, or 25°C for 28, 21, or 7 days, respectively. In hummus without garlic, at all storage temperatures and storage periods, 0.5% chitosan decreased Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes by 0.9–2.3, 0.6–2.3, and 0.9–1.3 log CFU/g, respectively. In comparison, 1% chitosan decreased the numbers by 1.6–2.9, 1.4–2.7, and 1.3–1.8 log CFU/g, respectively. In hummus with 1% garlic, 0.5% chitosan decreased Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes by 0.7–2.5, 0.6–2.2, and 1.0–1.5 log CFU/g, respectively. Furthermore, 1% chitosan decreased the numbers by 1.6–2.8, 1.2–2.7, and 1.5–1.6 log CFU/g, respectively. With few exceptions, adding 1% garlic to hummus did not result in any significant reduction (at p 0.05) in microbial numbers. The greatest decreases of Salmonella spp., E. coli O157:H7, and L. monocytogenes were 3.1, 3.6, and 2.9 log CFU/g with 1% chitosan held at 4°C for 28 days. The highest overall acceptability was for hummus with 0.5% chitosan + 1% garlic. Commercial use of chitosan is expected to help producers improve hummus safety. Hummus is consumed worldwide as a dip due to its taste and health benefits. Microbial safety of hummus can be enhanced by incorporating chitosan, derived from the natural polymer chitin, into the formulation. This enhanced recipe would be a bonus for producers and consumers alike.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 17-01-2022
Abstract: Hummus is a popular dip in the Middle East region prepared by mixing the boiled chickpeas with tahini and other ingredients, and because its consumption has increased world‐wide some notoriety has developed following an increase in the incidence of hummus‐related illness outbreaks and recalls. The objectives of the current research were (i) to study the efficiency of low dose gamma irradiation to inhibit Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica , and Listeria monocytogenes in hummus, and (ii) to assess the effect of environmental stresses namely cold, heat, and desiccation on the resistance of these pathogens to gamma irradiation. The s les of hummus were prepared and then in idually inoculated with approximately 7.0 log CFU/g of unstressed or cold‐, heat‐, or desiccated‐stressed cocktail cultures of each of E. coli O157:H7, S. enterica , and L. monocytogenes . The inoculated s les were then exposed to gamma irradiation at doses of 0.1 to 0.6 kGy. The numbers of unstressed E. coli O157:H7, S. enterica , and L. monocytogenes were decreased by 0.6–3.9, 0.7–2.9, and 1.0–3.0 log CFU/g, respectively, by irradiation treatment. The resistance of E. coli O157:H7 to gamma irradiation was not affected by desiccation, heat, and cold stresses. However, the pre‐exposure of S. enterica and L. monocytogenes cells to these stresses reduced their resistance toward gamma irradiation. Gamma irradiation is a non‐thermal treatment that can be used in food processing to ensure food safety and quality. The current study proved that low levels (≤0.6 kGy) of gamma irradiation can effectively decrease the risk of unstressed and cold‐, heat‐, or desiccation‐stressed Salmonella enterica , Listeria monocytogenes , or Escherichia coli O157:H7 in hummus.
Publisher: Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources
Date: 03-2020
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 04-12-2022
Abstract: “Chicken tawook” is a marinated boneless chicken entrée consumed in the Middle East. The aim of this study was to determine whether bioactive essential oil (EO) components carvacrol (CA), cinnamaldehyde (CI), and thymol (TH) would delay the growth of microorganisms causing tawook spoilage during aerobic (AP) or vacuum (VP) packed storage. The EOs at 1% and 2% were mixed in idually with the marinade. The s les (10 g of chicken cubes with 1.2 g of marinade – with or without EOs) were stored in bags under AP and VP (Geryon ® ) for 7 days at 4 ± 1°C and abusive conditions (10 ± 1°C). Two control s les consisting of meat chunks and tawook without EO were used. The microflora numbers were greater at 10°C than at 4°C, and the marinade worked additively with AP against anaerobes, yeast and mold (Y & M) and lactic acid bacteria. It also worked additively with VP against aerobic bacteria recovered as Pseudomonas and the total plate count. EO components were observed to decrease microbial populations by a maximum of 4 to 6 log colony‐forming unit (CFU)/g depending on the type of microorganism. The combined mixture of marinade and 2% EO (CA, CI, and TH) resulted in the greatest reductions of all spoilage microorganisms at 10°C under AP on the last day of storage. Overall, VP was more effective ( p 0.05) than AP in controlling microorganisms at both 4 and 10°C. This study provides an affordable and natural alternative for extending product life. The use of EOs in marinated chicken (tawook) is expected to help producers reduce spoilage and extend shelf‐life of the product when stored at refrigeration temperatures. EOs provide a cheaper alternative and are naturally sourced. Vacuum packaging will increase the shelf‐life of marinated chicken tawook and facilitate its storage and transportation.
Publisher: Emerald
Date: 22-08-2022
Abstract: This study examined the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of Jordanian dairy employees about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) characteristics and the effect of precautionary measures on food safety risk during the pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted between Dec 17, 2020 and Feb 22, 2021, involving a total of 428 participants across 34 random chosen dairy facilities in Jordan. KAP related to COVID-19 were measured by 46 items, while 13 items were used to examine perceived notions regarding COVID-19 precautionary measures on food safety. The results indicated that 32.2% of the respondents had sufficient knowledge, 60.3% had a good attitude, and 27.1% followed correct practices concerning COVID-19. Moreover, female respondents had higher total KAP scores of COVID-19 characteristics than males. Furthermore, older and more experienced respondents had higher total KAP scores than younger respondents. This study also observed that the total KAP scores were not affected by education, marital status, and job position. Characteristics and measures taken by the dairy industry were at large significantly associated with ( p 0.05) knowledge and practice of employees about COVID-19 attributes. Results of this study suggested that Jordanian dairy workers were not adequately aware about COVID-19. No such study on dairy workers has been conducted previously to the best of the authors’ knowledge. Moreover, studies which analyse the association of industry response and characteristics on the KAP of employees are very limited.
No related grants have been discovered for Anas Al-Nabulsi.