A study on the microbiological quality of industrial ice-cream

Abstract

In this study, a total of 300 packaged ice-creams (100 extrude, 100 stick and 100 cornet type) were taken from an industrial ice-cream plant and analysed microbiologically. The hygienic conditions of the same plant were also investigated. In terms of microbiological quality, no significant differences were determined among the ice-cream types. Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were not isolated in any of ice-cream samples. The average counts of aerobic mesophil bacteria, coliform and mould-yeast were 8.8x10(2)-2.5x10(3) cfu/g, 0.3-0.6 MPN/g and <10-35 cfu/g, respectively. All samples met national and international microbiological standards. The raw materials, the surface of the machinery and equipment, the water and the air were determined to be microbiologically safe. In hygiene checks of the staff's hands S. aureus was not isolated, but coliform bacteria were determined in three out of ten persons. The results of this study indicated that industrially produced ice-cream is of acceptable microbial quality, when the quality of the raw materials is high and the hygiene of plant is good.