Bacteriological Quality of Locally Prepared Fresh Fruit Juices in Licensed Juice Houses of Selected Towns of Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Fruit juices are important components of a healthy diet and dietary source of nutrients, vitamins, and fiber and vital for human health. However, unless it is handled with safety and good hygienic condition, food can be a vehicle for transmission of various agents of diseases resulting in an outbreak. In both developed and developing countries food-borne and waterborne pathogens are the leading causes of illnesses. This makes foodborne diseases an international public health concern. However, there was no study conducted in Eastern Ethiopia that provided baseline information on the bacteriological quality of locally prepared fresh fruit juices. Objective: This study aimed at assessing the bacteriological quality of locally prepared fresh fruit juices in juice houses of selected towns of Eastern Ethiopia from 04 April to 12 June 2020. Method: A cross-sectional study design was used to assess the bacteriological quality and associated factors of fruit juices in juice houses of selected towns of Eastern Ethiopia. All licensed juice houses and food handlers working in juice houses were included in the study. Seventy-eight samples of fruit juices were collected from 26 juice houses and transported to the laboratory by a sterilized collecting jar. At the same time, data were collected from 78 food handlers/servers. A semi structured questionnaire and laboratory-based investigation was used to collect data. The most probable number method was used to determine the total coliform, fecal coliform and Escherichia coli and pour plate count method was used to determine total aerobic viable, staphylococcus count and salmonella/Shigella. Finally, data was analyzed using descriptive statistical tests; bivariate analysis such as chi-square test, analysis of variance and fisher’s exact test. P-value of 0.05 was considered as a cut off point for statistical significance. Results: The study found total viable bacterial count ranged from 2.6x102 colony forming unit per milliliter to 9.3x105 colony forming unit per milliliter with the mean value of 2.4x105 colony forming unit per milliliter, staphylococcus count ranged from 4.8 x101 to 8.7x104 colony forming unit per milliliter with the mean value of 1.6x104 colony forming unit per milliliter and total coliform ranged from <3 to >1100 Most Probable Number per milliliter. Overall, 67(85.9%) of fruit juice samples had total viable bacterial count, 50(64.1%) of samples had total coliform count and 58(74.4%) of juice samples had staphylococcus count higher than Gulf standard, 2000. In addition, salmonella/Shigella detected in 19(24.4%) of samples, fecal coliform detected in 49(60.3%) of samples and Escherichia coli detected in 20(25.6%) of fruit juice samples. Educational status, training in food hygiene and safety, hand washing, wearing aprons, frequency of cleaning material used to keep the juice, place to keep fruits and juice after preparation, types of dish washing and availability of hand washing facilities were significantly associated with bacteriological contamination of locally prepared fresh fruit juices. Conclusion: The current study found that more than three-fourth of samples were contaminated with bacteria and unsatisfactory for human consumption. Thus, it is important to provide training and regular supervision to prevent consumption of contaminated fruit juices, which leads to food borne illness.