Microbial load and safety of locally prepared fresh fruit juices in cafeteria and restaurants in Mekelle city, Northern Ethiopia

Improperly prepared fresh fruit and vegetable juices are recognized as one of the major causes of food borne illnesses. Therefore, this study was aimed at evaluating the microbiological safety of fresh fruit juices marketed in Mekelle city. Ninety fruit juices samples were collected and analyzed for total microbial count. Most venders obtained fruit from the open market and all juice makers lacked special training in food hygiene and safety. Thirteen questionnaires were distributed for 30 juice makers to obtain preliminary information on hygienic and safety practices of fruit juice makers. A total of 90 locally prepared fresh fruit juice samples were collected. The mean total viable count of avocado and papaya were 3.85 log cfu/mL and 3.58 logcfu/mL, respectively. 12.2 % (11/90) of the total samples were positive for Staphylococcus aureus. These findings strongly indicated the fecal contamination of juice sample. Moreover, all venders obtained fruit from the open market. According to the current study, the results may be attributed to contamination during either harvesting of fruits or processing and handling of fresh fruit juices. Therefore, regular supervision and training about harvesting fruit, safe processing, and handling of fruit juices and hygiene of venders can improve the quality of fresh fruit juices.