The Investigation of the Presence of Mites in Some Served Dry Foodstuffs.

OBJECTIVE Mites are microscopic organisms that lower the quality of life of people who are sensitive to them by causing conditions such as atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, and asthma. These organisms are found in every habitat where humans live. This study was conducted to determine the presence of storage mites in dry food items. METHODS Various food items were procured 10 times each in 300-gram samples. Mites were extracted with a Berlese funnel apparatus over Erlenmeyer flasks containing 70% alcohol placed at the end of the funnel stems for over 48 h. RESULTS Of 25 food items examined in the study, only six were contaminated by mites. Species of the mites found were Acarus siro (34.6%), Glycyphagus domesticus (22.8%), Tyrophagus putrescentiae (16.8%), Tyrophagus spp. (7.9%), Rhizoglyphus spp. (1%), Lepidoglyphus destructor (7.9%), Cheylettus malacensis (4%), and Cheylettus spp. (2%). CONCLUSION Although the results of the study show that the presence of mites in food items sold in open containers at open-air markets or stores was low, we suppose that they can cause important health problems for sensitive people.