Journal of School of Public Health and

---

Background and Aims: The ready-to-eat foods, before and after preparation, usually kept in a refrigerator before consumption for a relatively long time, increase the risk of food poisoning. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of refrigeration in the fast-food shops on the microbial contamination of fast foods.

Materials and Methods: A total of 100 samples, including 46 cooked beef livers and 54 cooked sausages were collected from fast-food shops in the south of Tehran and analyzed according to the procedures of the Office of Food Control Laboratories (OFCL). The samples were tested randomly for the microbial contamination on the first, third, fifth and seventh days of storage in the refrigerator.

Results: Results of microbial analysis showed that 35 cooked sausage samples (64.8%) and 34 cooked liver samples (73.9%) on the first day, 44 cooked sausage samples (81.5%) and 42 cooked liver samples (91.3%) after the third day, 47 cooked sausage samples (87.1%) and 44 cooked liver samples (95.6%) after the fifth day, and 50 cooked sausage samples (92.3%) after the seventh day were unfit for consumption Frying of the food items before consumption would decrease, though to a small extent, microbial contamination (P<0.05). Increased total micrbial counts of the food items, exceeding the respective standards, is the most important inhibitory factor for their consumption.

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that keeping cooked foods for a long time in the refrigerator causes increased microbial contamination over time.

---

Background and Aim: Children who work or live in the streets are one of the high-risk groups for HIV. The high population of street children and lack of comprehensive intervention programs for them increase their risk for HIV in Iran. This study intended to explore the situation of drug abuse in street children in Tehran, the capital city.

Materials and Methods: This paper reports part of a comprehensive rapid assessment and response (RAR) research project on street children in Tehran during 2012-13. Data were collected by interviewing subjects using questionnaires. The sample size was 289 street children selected by time-location sampling in Tehran.

Results : Data showed that about 25.6% of the street children had had some history of cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse, and/or drug abuse. Most of them were boys aged 15-18 years. The prevalence rate of cigarette and/or hubble-bubble smoking, alcohol consumption and drug abuse during the preceding 6 months 12.1%, 11% and 6.9%, respectively. Significant associations were found between alcohol consumption and drug abuse on the one hand and the children’s age, type of occupation and home-leaving experience on the other. Further analysis of the data showed that the main reason for drug abuse was curiosity (56.6%), followed by mere enjoyment (39.6%) and leisure (35.8%) .

Conclusion : It can be concluded that drug abuse among street children is highly associated with gender, age, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking and leaving home experience. Therefore, it is recommended to start drug abuse prevention programs at lower ages, with particular emphasis on boys. In addition, family intervention and improvement of children’s lifestyle aiming at preventing home-leaving could be a main strategic plan for reducing drug abuse among street children.

---

Background and Aim: Healthy food and nutrition have always been a serious concern of human beings. In this regard, food safety is extremely important. As an example, nitrates in foods may affect their safety. The purpose of this study was to investigate the nitrate contents of highly consumed food products (potatoes, tomatoes and onions) on sale in wholesale fruit and vegetable markets (Heravi, Mellat and Lavizan) in District 4 of Tehran, Iran.
Materials and Methods: Samples of the foods were collected in winter and spring, and their nitrate content was measured spectrophotometrically. The SPSS-20 software was used for data analysis.
Results: The results showed that there was a statistically significant difference between the vegetables nitrate contents in winter and spring. The nitrate content of onions in the spring in the Heravi market and that of potatoes in the winter in the Lavizan market were higher than the respective standard, while that of tomatoes was less than the standard in both seasons.
Conclusion: The nitrate content in the samples was in most cases below the respective standard, indicating that the vegetables on sale in the wholesale markets in Tehran were acceptable as regards nitrate content (at least in spring and winter).