COLLECTION, IDENTIFICATION, PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND MICROBIAL QUALITY ANALYSIS OF NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS IN THE CAPE COAST METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

Free-trade  policies  across  countries  have  allowed  an  influx  of  diverse  nonalcoholic drinks into Ghana. Frequent consumption of such drinks may contribute to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The study evaluated the microbial quality and  physico-chemical  properties  of  selected  non-alcoholic  drinks  in  the  Cape Coast Metropolis. Out of 122 non-alcoholic drinks catalogued, 22 were analysed. Aerobic mesophilic counts, total coliforms (TC), faecal coliforms (FC), yeasts and moulds (Y&M),  Salmonella  spp. and  Escherichia coli  were determined following standard  procedures.  The  numbers  of  microorganisms  present  were  calculated using the weighted mean from the dilution and expressed as colony forming unit per milliliter (cfu/ml). Total sugars and vitamin C concentrations were determinedby the Anthrone method; the AOAC (1990) method was used for physico-chemical analyses.  Concentrated  fruit  juices  preserved  by  physical  and  chemical  means represented  the highest percentage  (59%)  of  samples analyzed. Bacterial growth, yeasts and moulds were observed in two (33%) and only 1 (16.6%) drink samples. Bacteria, yeasts and moulds growth  were found on 5 drink samples;  whiles faecal coliforms  and  Escherichia  coli  were  found  in  2(40%)  samples  respectively;Salmonella  spp. was not detected in any of the  samples tested. The highest sugar concentration  was  40.71±14.38%.  The  highest  vitamin  C  concentration  was 0.15±0.03 ml/100ml. The highest pH was 3.602±0.86 in the carbonated soft drinks and  carbonated  malt  category.  The  highest  titrable  acidity  was  14.72±3.11  with acid  percentage  of  94%.  Although  microbial  growth  was  not  widespread  in  the drinks sampled, numbers were above the Ghana Standards Authority’s  acceptable limits.