Microbiological safety of fruit juices consumed in cafes and restaurants of Debre Markos town, north western Ethiopia

Improperly prepared fresh fruit and vegetable juices are recognized as an emerging cause of food borne illnesses. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the microbiological safety of fresh fruit juices marketed in Debre Markos town and their hygienic conditions of preparations. Thirty-six fruit juices samples were collected from 6 cafés and restaurants of Debre Markos town and analyzed for total aerobic viable bacterial count (TAVBC), total staphylococcal count (TSC), aerobic spore forming bacterial count (ASFBC), total coliform count (TCC), fecal coliform count (FCC), yeast and mould count (YMC). The spread plate method was used for the isolation of microorganisms on appropriate selective media. All isolates were characterized following standard methods. Bacterial and fungal species were isolated following standard methods, while questionnaires were distributed to 30 juice makers to obtain preliminary information on their hygienic and safety practices. Results show that the mean TAVBC, ASFBC, TSC, yeast and mould, TCC and FCC of mango were 2.2±0.48×106, 0.13±0.04×105, 0.004×105, 1.1±0.2×106, 0.15±0.05×105, 5.7±3.73×104 and 0.06±0.04×104, cfu/ml, respectively. Moreover, the mean of TAVBC, ASFBC, TSC, YMC, TCC, and FCC of avocado juice were 3.6±0.6×106, 0.08±0.02×105, 0.27±0.07×105, 1.2±0.4×106, 0.02±0.01×105, 6.46±3.7×104, and 0.2±0.1×104 cfu/ml, respectively. The bacterial isolates were identified as S. aureus, E. coli, Klebsiella spp. B. cereus, Enterobacter spp., Enterococcous spp., Streptococcus spp., and Serratia spp., while the identities of the fungal isolates were Fusarium spp., Mucor spp. and S. cerevisiae. The results also showed that the microbial loads of most of the fruit juices were higher than the specifications set for fruit juices sold in the Gulf region and other parts of the world. Most venders obtained fruit from the open market and all juice makers lacked special training in food hygiene and safety. Therefore, regular training and health education on food hygiene and safety is recommended for juice handlers to improve the quality of fresh fruit juices in the study area.