BACTERIOLOGICAL LOAD ASSESSMENT OF JUICE SOLD IN CAFTERIA AND HOTELS IN ARBA MINCH TOWN, GAMO GOFA, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Fruit juices are the specialized drinks which are rich in vitamins and nutrients that can help prevent common birth defects as well as cancer and also contain enzymes that are essential for digestive process. The study was performed to evaluate the microbiological quality of locally processed juices such as mango and avocado juices from some selected hotels and cafeteria found in Arba Minch town. Four mango and Avocado, total 8 juice samples from two hotels and cafeterias were collected and their microbial load was analyzed in Microbiology laboratory on appropriate media by using serial dilution techniques followed by spread plate techniques. The highest colonies were observed from mango juice sample from cafeteria two and the lowest colony from hotel one are 94 colonies and 0 colony respectively. The mean bacterial count of avocado juice sample was 49500 cfu/ml which was relatively higher than the mean colonies of mango’s juice sample was 15420 cfu/ml. The total mean of bacterial colonies were 63750 cfu/ml from nutrient agar media, 16250 cfu/ml from Manito salt agar and 23250 cfu/ml from Macconkey in case of cafeteria as well as 41250 cfu/ml from nutrient agar media, 22250 cfu/ml from Manito salt agar and 28000 cfu/ml from Macconkey in case of hotels. Their for, juice venders that produce unpasteuralized mango avocado juices would be recommended that preventative measures through food safety control strategies is important.