Pieces of apples were cut (10 g) and transferred to a stomacher bag,
diluted with 0.9% (w/v) NaCl solution and homogenized in the stomacher
(Stomacher 400 Circulator, Seward, UK). Thereafter, a series of
decimal dilutions in sterile physiological saline was performed, and
the dilutions were transferred onto suitablemedia. The totalmesophilic
bacteria count was determined in PCA and incubated at 32 °C for 48 h.
All examinations were performed in duplicate.