Microbial Contamination and Hygiene Risks in Street-Sold Bissap Juice: A Case Study in Daloa, Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Ready-to-eat Bissap juice is often classified in the street food group. The unhygienic conditions in which Bissap juice is prepared pose risks, sometimes leading to microbial contamination. The general objective of this work is to evaluate the diversity of pathogenic microorganisms in Bissap juices sold in the city of Daloa. To achieve this objective, a consumption survey was carried out. Counts and isolations were carried out to assess the microbiological quality of juices sold in the streets. Physicochemical parameters were determined. These are Brix and pH. Salmonella was screened for in the juices sold using the NF-V08-52 standard. The survey revealed that women consume more Bissap juice sold in the streets than men with a rate of 52% respectively compared to a rate of 48%. The Mandé represent half of the consumers with 50%, followed by the Akan with a rate of 30%, the Krou with a rate of 14.70%. Young people aged between 20 and 30 consume more Bissap juice with a rate of 47.30%. Consumers of Bissap juice come from various professions. Consumers have experienced discomfort characterized by diarrhea, vomiting, fever and stomach bloating. Microbiological analysis revealed the presence of microbial flora of alteration and contamination. These are total flora, fungal flora and enterobacteria. There was also the presence of flora of fecal origin such as Thermotolerants coliforms. The Bissap juice samples analyzed does not contain potentially pathogenic bacterial species. The results regarding Mesophilic Aerobic Germs, fungal flora, enterobacteria, fecal coliforms are not satisfactory.  The pH of the different juices is very acidic, ranging from 4.41 ± 0.18 to 2.18 ± 0.03. Also some of the juice samples analyzed have very high sugar levels (34.83 ± 0,28) Bissap juices sold in the streets represent a danger for the population of Daloa.