Abstract

MICROBIOLOGICAL PROFILING OF VENDOR AND COMMERCIALLY PACKED MIXED FRUIT JUICES: A CASE STUDY SUBURB OF DELHI NCR, INDIA

Dushyant Singh*, Amita Gaurav Dimri, Rudrangshu Chatterjee, Ankita Pandita, M. L. Aggarwal

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, fruit products have been regarded as microbiologically safer than other unprocessed foods. However, microbial contamination of freshly squeezed mixed fruit juices sold by fruit juice vendors reported in food borne illness associated with the consumption of these juices. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological safety and quality of various juices available under two different categories e.g. street vended mixed fruit juices and commercially packed mixed fruit juices of different brand. All fifteen street vended mixed fruit juices were found to be bacterial contaminated with in the range of 105 -108 cfu per ml. Total fungal count and coliform count in the range of 104 -106 cfu per ml and 102 -106 cfu per ml respectively. However no bacterial and fungal contamination was found in all five branded mixed fruit juice samples. The occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in street vended mixed fruit samples were 40% for Escherichia coli, 13% for Salmonella spp. and 27% for staphylococcus aureus. Whereas there were no any pathogenic bacteria found in branded mixed fruit juice samples. It is concluded that street vended mixed fruit juices were highly contaminated in the Delhi NCR region and unfit for human consumption. These values are quite higher than the microbiological limits for fruit juices. Poor sanitary conditions and failure to adhere to good manufacturing practices during processing could influence the high microbial load. Recommendations were made to reduce the microbiological contamination and promote quality assurance of the products.

Keywords: Mixed Fruit Juice, E.coli, Salmonella, S.aureus and Microbial contamination.