Assessment of Microbial Quality of Local and Packaged Ice Creams

Abstract

The aim of this study is to analyse the microbiological quality of packaged (made in patisseries, n=15) and local (made in local enterprises, n=15) ice cream samples for sale in Kahramanmaraş (Turkey) and to evaluate the results in the context of food safety. The samples were tested for the presence of Total Mesophilic Aerobic Bacteria (TMAB), Total Psychrophilic Aerobic Bacteria (TPAB), yeast-mould, total coliform, and Escherichia coli. According to the communiqué on microbiological criteria by the Turkish Food Codex, 40% of the tested local ice cream samples and 23% of packaged ice creams had high TMAB levels. The count of TPAB in packaged ice creams was substantially lower (13 %), whereas its count in locally sold ice creams was rather high (73 %). While 73.3% of packaged ice creams contained an average of 37x102 cfu g-1 yeast, an average of 36x105 cfu g-1 yeast was identified in 93.3% of local ice creams. The overall coliform quantity must be less than 100 cfu g-1, according to the Turkish Standards Institute. Eight samples (53.3%) of packaged ice creams and local ice creams in Kahramanmaraş province were above the acceptable limits for coliform bacteria. Ice creams must not contain E. coli, according to TS 4265. However, E. coli was discovered in six samples (40%) of packaged ice creams and four samples (27%) of local ice creams. Consequently, it is believed that the microbiological quality of packaged and local ice cream samples sold in Kahramanmaraş is poor, which may have negative effects on public health.