Evaluation of microbial load in some canned fruits and line processing of canned orange

الملخص EN

The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial load in lines producing canned orange at local plant.

In addition, this study was conducted to give information about the quality (i.e., total viable count (TVC) and total yeasts and molds (TYM)), hygiene (coliforms and Clostridium spp.) and safety (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) of some canned fruits kept on the shelf in markets.

The final products of canned orange, grapefruit, peach, pineapple, cocktail and cherry had some TVC and TYM.

The counts of these microbial populations ranged between 1.43 to 2.40 log cfu/g and1.0 to 1.85 log cfu/g, respectively.

Clostridium spp., Staph.

aureus and E.

coli were totally absent in all canned fruits.

The majority of the sampling sites examined were moderately contaminated (1.0 to 2.21 log cfu/g or ml or cm2 or can) by spoilage bacteria (coliforms, Bacillus spp.

Staphylococci, Pseudomonas spp., and other bacteria) and fungi (Penicillium, Aspergillus spp.

and other fungi) by workers, tables, water and peeling machines.

The presence of this flora seemed to be associated with high numbers of one or more specific groups of the house-flora on the sampling sites and personal hands that as source of contamination.

These findings further indicate that inadequate hygiene practices within processing line may result in loss of microbial control.

It was shown that the hygienic status of the processing environment and equipment play an essential role in the microbial stability and safety of the final products.