Abstract
King coconut water (KCW) is a sweet relish product that is more prone to rapid quality deterioration, and several safety concerns are emerging due to its inappropriate thermal processing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the potential spoilage/pathogenic microorganisms associated with the processing of KCW, with the assessment of possible physicochemical changes as providing preliminary information required for the thermal process validation of bottled KCW. Samples (n = 6, 150 ml/sample) were collected from three different KCW processing facilities at five critical processing stepsP1−P5. A facility survey, physicochemical analyses, and microbial enumeration and isolation, along with their molecular identifications, were conducted. It was found that all tested physicochemical properties were significantly changedp<0.05among sampling points at each processing facility. The colour of thermally processed KCW samples has significantly changedp<0.05compared to the fresh KCW, which causes a distinct effect on the appealing quality of the final product. A pattern of initial lower counts with gradually increased microbial counts at intermediate processing steps (1.0 × 103–5.3 × 106 CFU/ml) and significantly loweredp<0.05counts after thermal treatment was observed. Among the bacterial and fungal isolates identified, several potential pathogenic bacterial species, such as Pantoea dispersa, Bacillus siamensis, Pseudomonas stutzeri, and Acinetobacter lactucae; a few thermal resistant yeasts, Pichia kudriavzevii, Debaryomyces nepalensis, and Candida carpophila; and moulds, Penicillium citrinum, Microdochium fisheri, and Trichosporon asahii, have survived in the thermally processed KCW. Based on the results of the study, it is suggested that the thermal process validation of KCW should be targeted according to the revealed knowledge on the identified hazardous microorganisms, while adhering to Good Manufacturing and Hygienic Practices with minimized handling time to avoid rapid quality deterioration.
Highlights
King coconut (Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) is endemic to Sri Lanka, which possesses splendid nutritional and therapeutic values
Similar unit operations with varying degrees of operational/processing conditions were observed at pre-identified critical sampling points (P1 − P5) in each studied processing facility. e status of the currently practiced Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) was monitored as preliminary information, which directly influences the quality and safety of the final product (Table 1)
King coconut water undergoes significant changes in pH, TSS, sugars, and colour during processing and it is necessary to follow immediate processing while avoiding excessive holding at intermediate steps before thermal processing to preserve the natural organoleptic properties of the product. e enumeration study revealed that significantly higher microbial loads have been introduced to the processing line at intermediate processing steps and it is important to pay attention on frequent clean-in-place and sanitation practices to minimize the risk of contamination
Summary
King coconut (Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) is endemic to Sri Lanka, which possesses splendid nutritional and therapeutic values. Sri Lankan king coconut water is highly demanded in the international market due to its unique quality and sensory characteristics compared to regular green coconuts. It is rich in invert sugars (glucose and fructose), electrolytes (Na+, K+, Ca+2, and Mg+2), and amino. It is more prone to lose its wholesomeness once it is extracted from the nut, causing rapid deterioration due to microbial contamination and physicochemical changes over time. Several quality issues, such as pink discolouration, off-flavour, and odour development, have been experienced in the king coconut water industry with emerging safety concerns due to inadequate thermal processing. As there is a prime concern in “Safe Human Consumption” for thermally processed foods, several safety regulations have been implemented by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure the quality and safety of thermally processed foods [4]
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