Abstract
Street vended fruit juices are widely consumed in Pakistan, particularly during extreme summer heat, providing essential nutrition values mostly fulfilled by fruits and their juices. Generally, microbial growth in juice is restricted by using preservatives and storage temperatures. From public health point of view, presence of microbes can cause foodborne diseases and outbreaks. This study assess microbial quality of fresh Grewia asiatica (falsa) juice samples collected from street vendors near UCP, Lahore. Analysis of 25 samples revealed that 75% exceeded permissible microbial limits for unpasteurized beverages, with TVC ranging from 1.2×102 to 3.2×104 CFU/mL. Majority of isolates were identified as E. coli indicating fecal contamination likely due to unsafe water, poor hygiene, and contaminated ice used in juice preparation. This contamination poses risks for possible enteric infections and food born outbreaks particularly in peak of summer heat where demand is extremely high.
Keywords
Bacterial identifications, Biochemical test, E. coli, Food quality, Fruit juices, Falsa, Grewia asiatica