A total 75 samples of raw, cooked shawerma before and after addition of salad (25 of each) were examined of or contamination of pathogenic yeasts. The incidence of yeast contaminated samples was 21 (84%), zero, and 17 (68%), while the mean value of total yeast count/ gram showerma was 5.3 x 104, zero and 3.6 x 10 for raw, cooked shawerma before addition of salad and cooked shawerma after addition of salad samples, respectively. The pathogenic yeasts isolated were Cryptococcus neoformans, Cryptococcus albidus, Trichosporon cutaneum, Trichosporon capitatum, Candida albicans, Candida tropicalis, Candida kefyer and Torulopsis galberata. The public health significance of the isolated yeasts was discussed. |
