Microbiological and Chemical Properties of Falafel Samples Collected From Street Food Market in Ahvaz, Iran

Background and Objectives Falafel is one of the most popular artisanal foods in Iran, especially in Khouzestan province. However, no comprehensive study has been performed to evaluate its microbiological and chemical properties. This study aims to evaluate microbiological and chemical properties of falafel samples collected from street food market in Ahvaz, Iran. Subjects and Methods Microbiological tests including total viable count (TVC), psychrophilic count, Escherichia coli test, staphylococcus aureus test, coliform count, bacillus cereus test, Salmonella test, and mold count were performed to evaluate microbiological properties of falafel samples (cooked and uncooked). The chemical properties were assessed by performing protein test, ash, carbohydrate, lipid, salt, peroxide, and acidity tests. All tests were done according to the methods described by the Institute of Standards & Industrial Research of Iran (ISIRI). Results Microbiological tests revealed that TVC (108 cfu/g), coliform count (3.7×103 cfu/g) and mold count (1.3×103 cfu/g) were significantly higher than the amounts set by the ISIRI (P<0.05), indicating high contamination of uncooked falafel samples. The major problems observed by chemical tests was the high content of lipid (20.11%) and peroxide value (47.85 meq/kg) which were significantly higher than the values set by the ISIRI (P<0.05). Conclusion Microbiological and chemical properties of falafel are poor, indicating the poor hygienic conditions of its preparation in street food market. We recommend more attention to and supervision on the preparation of artisanal foods such as falafel in Iran.