Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2586

Date

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Public Health

Major

Public Health

Concentration

Environmental Health

Committee Chair

Pratik Banerjee

Committee Member

Chunrong Jia

Committee Member

Tyler Zerwekh

Abstract

Retail foods available in areas with higher food insecurity and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) are known to be of inferior quality than High SES areas. The purpose of this research was to assess the availability of different food choices and evaluate the microbiological quality of foods available at retail outlets in Low SES and High SES areas in Memphis metropolitan. Survey of Low and High SES stores, aerobic plate count, selective plating, and multiplex polymerase chain reactions were conducted to determine the differences in food availability, microbial load, and the microbial composition of selected retail foods procured form Low and High SES areas. Foods from Low SES areas were found to have higher bacterial loads and a differential microbial composition (with an abundance of generic E. coli) as compared to food items obtained form High SES areas. The results indicate the disparity in microbiological quality of foods available to populations.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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