MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND SAFETY OF FRUIT JUICE SERVED IN CAFES OF DIRE DAWA TOWN, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Fresh fruits are essential components of the human diet and there is considerable evidence of the health and nutritional benefits associated with the consumption of fresh fruits. However, during processing contamination from raw materials, equipment or food handlers could be easily transferred to the final product of fruit juices resulting food-borne illnesses. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the microbiological safety of avocado, mango and papaya fruit juices and to examine the association between the risk factors and the microbial loads of the juice. A cross sectional study was conducted from March 2016 to August 2016 in Dire Dawa town using structured Questionnaire to assess source of fruit and processing of fruit juices and to perform bacteriological analyses. aerobic mesophilic bacterial count, yeast and mold count, total coliform, faecal coliform, aerobic spore forming bacterial Count and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp. were analyzed following standard methods. The results indicated that among the juices, higher total coliform(2.17x102mpn/ml) and faecal coliform(6.43x101mpn/ml) were observed in papaya juice than in avocado and mango juices. However, the aerobic mesophilic bacterial, spore forming bacterial counts and yeast and mold counts (7.21x105cfu/ml 2.94x103cfu/ml, and 1.08x104 respectively) were higher in avocado juice than in the other two types of juices. The proportion of avocado, mango and papaya juice samples positive for fungi were 70% (21/30), 76.67% fruit juice samples that were positive for Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella species and E. coli were 52.2%, 37.77%, and 11.1%, respectively. The higher prevalence of fecal coliforms indicated that the selected fruit juices were hygienically of lower standards. Such results might have been attributed to contamination during processing and subsequent handling of the fresh fruit juices. Therefore, regular supervision and training on safe processing and handling practices of fruit juices as well as monitoring the hygiene of venders are suggested to be implemented to improve the quality of fresh fruit juices in the study area.(23/30), and 80% (24/30), respectively. Whereas the proportion of