Microbiological Quality of Local Market Vended Freshly Squeezed Fruit Juices in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

Freshly squeezed or freshly prepared fruit juices sold by local market vendors in Dhaka city were analyzed for the microbiological quality. Total viable bacterial counts, fungal counts, total coliform, faecal coliform and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Streptococcus were analyzed by standard methods. The total viable count of samples ranged from 3.00×10 2 to 9.60×10 8 and fungal counts ranged from 1.00×10 2 to 8.05×10 4 . Out of 114 freshly prepared fruit juices samples collected 113 samples (99%) showed the presence of coliform and E. coli . The other bacteria like B. cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Streptococcus were found in 64.91%, 6.14%, 7.89% and (5.26%) of the tested samples. The number and type of microorganisms recovered from the freshly squeezed fruit juices made them unsafe for drinking. It was concluded that due to unhygienic fruit handling in the unsanitary environmental conditions under which the vendors operate the juices become contaminated with harmful bacteria. The results of this study demonstrate the unhygienic quality of popular types of market vended freshly squeezed fruit juices and their risk to the consumers. Key Words: Fruit juices; Microorganisms; Contamination; E. coli; Microbiological quality standards. DOI: 10.3329/bjsir.v44i4.4591 Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 44(4) , 421-424, 2009