## 3 Results  
### Microbiological Quality Evaluation  
The results of the average number of selected groups of microorganisms in the tested variants of high-protein bars are shown in Figure 1.  
Figure 1: _Cont._  
Immediately after production, the microbiological quality of bars differed, although at a similar level. The total number of microorganisms (TVC) ranged from 3.90-4.26 log CFU/g. The results of the ANOVA analysis revealed that during the storage of products at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the TVC did not change significantly (\(p\) > 0.05). However, the results of the post hoc Bonferroni test indicated that sample B2 contained considerably more TVC versus B1 and B3 bars (\(p\) < 0.05), whereas at 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C, all the values were slightly different (Figure 1A,B).  
The number of Enterobacteriaceae (ENT) family after production was in the range of 2.81-3.32 log CFU/g. Regardless of the product variant and the storage temperature, the number of these microorganisms increased significantly after 3 months of storage (\(p\) < 0.05) (Figure 1C,D).  
The count of yeasts and moulds (TYMC) directly after production was in the range of 2.61-3.99 log CFU/g. After a month of storage at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C, in sample B1 a decrease in TYMC to approx. 1.32 log CFU/g was observed. However, in subsequent cold storage, the number of these microorganisms increased. In the other variants, the TYMC increased, when in the samples stored at 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C the increase was more dynamic and higher by about 1 logarithmic order compared to the samples stored at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C (Figure 1E,F). On some bars, aerial mould growth was observed after 3 months of storage.  
In the tested variants of high-protein bars, no pathogenic bacteria _Salmonella_ sp. was found in 25 g of the product. Pathogenic bacteria of the species _Bacillus cereus_ were present in samples B1 and B2 immediately after production and in the following months of storage  
Figure 1: Mean number of selected microorganisms in the organic high-protein bars samples (B1, B2 and B3) stored for 3 months at 4 or 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C. (**A,B**) Total number of microorganisms (TVC); (**C,D**) number of Enterobacteriaceae (ENT); (**E,F**) count of yeasts and moulds (TYMC). \(n\) = 3. Values of the variants of the product (B1, B2, B3) marked with an asterisk differ significantly according to the post hoc Bonferroni test (\(p\) < 0.05). Bars represent mean standard error.  
at 4 and 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C. The presence of _B. cereus_ was also found in the B3 high-protein bar variant, with two exceptions (after production and one month of storage at 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C) (Table 2).  
Staphylococcus aureus was presented in the samples after the production of the bars below the detection limit, i.e., <2 log CFU/g. After one month of storage at 4 or 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C, the S. aureus number was in the range of 2.36-3.07 log CFU/g. In subsequent research periods (2 and 3 months) of storage at 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C, S. aureus was detected in samples B1 and B2, but not in the variant B3. All tested variants (B1, B2 and B3) stored for 2 and 3 months at 22 \({}^{\circ}\)C contained S. aureus below the detection limit (Table 2).