Microbiological Quality Assessment Of Locally Produced Retail Ice Cream In Enugu Metropolis:- Amadi Agatha U

abstract Ice ci earn is consideicd as one of the most favorable media for growing of bacterial species and as potential source of food poisoning. I he main objective of the present study was to investigate the Microbiological Quahty Assessment of Locally produced retail ice cream with a view to ascertaining their miuobiological portability and public health safely. A total of eighteen samples of six packed ice cream brands were collected from different retail vendors in Enugu Metropolis, [hereaitcr, their microbiological qualities were assessed and the isolates were identified by morpioogica c laiaclcnstics, pigmentation on media, enumerated, microscopy, biochemical methods, otal viable bacteria count ranged from 1.4 to 6.4 x 10 7 cfu/ml and Total coliform plate count range from 0 to 5.9 x 10*clu/ml, Total fungi plate count ranged from 0.6 to 4.7 x IO7" clu/ml, while total Lab plate count ranged from 3.5 to 7.9 x 10* cfu/ml and Total Staphylococcus species plate count ranged fipm 0.5 to 5.5 x 10 Tcfu/ml respectively The results had lower counts ol micio es o. wuc i some^thc ice cream samples fell within the acceptable limit and met the standard plate count. he predominant isolate? were recorded in Lactobacillus species with licquency micio la iso ate ol (27.1%), lollowcd by Escherichia coli with frequency microbial iso ale o ( o). ne staphylococcus aureus and Saccharomyces Cerevisiae has frequency microbia isolate ol (13.7%) each and Aspergillus flavus were has the least with frequency nucrobial isolate of (1.7/o) respectively. There were significant decline in pH, temperature and titratable acic. Hence, it is recommended that a greater attention is needed to apply strict microbiological quahty control to ensure the safety of final products of ice creams by improving the quality ol pioduction technology and sanitation strategies.