Abstract
An investigation was undertaken for the isolation and identification of food borne microorganisms from different street-vended fresh-cut fruits, salad vegetables and juices. Total bacterial count (TBC), total coliform count (TCC) and total salmonella- shigella counts (TSS) were 3.5x10(3) cfu/g, 4.8 x 10(2) cfu/g and 3.6x10(2) cfu/g, respectively in fresh cut hog plum (Spondias mombin L.). In guava (Psidium guajava L.) TBC, TCC and TSS count were 1.5x10(4) cfu/g, 4.9x10(2) cfu/g and 2.3x10(2) cfu/g respectively. Total bacterial count (TBC) and TCC were 4.6 x10(4) cfu/g and 3.9x10(2) respectively in plum (Ziziphus mauritiana L.). This result suggests that hog plum had the lowest while plum had the highest microbial load among all the fruit samples. In salad vegetables, TBC and TCC varied between 3.9x10(3) to 4.3x10(3) cfu/g and 2.6x10(2) to 6.6x10(2) cfu/g, respectively. Among salad vegetables, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) showed the lowest and carrot (Daucus carota L.) showed the highest microbial loads. Total bacterial count (TBC) ranged from 6.3x10(4) to 1.4x10(5) cfu/ml and TCC from 2.3x10(2) to 3.7x10(3) cfu/ml in juice samples. The lowest TBC was found in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and the highest was found in olot kombol (Abroma augusta L.) juices. Total salmonella-shigella counts (TSS) were found to be nil in all salad vegetables and juice samples. Five different organisms were identified from the tested samples including Escherichia coli (36%), Bacillus (25%), Staphylococcus (24%), Klebsiella (9%) and Proteus (6 %). The isolated pathogens provided a potential health hazard by the consumption of these street vended foods. Therefore, hygienic practices should be ensured for the safety of consumers as well as to prevent food borne illnesses. (c) All Rights Reserved.