Prevalence of Microbial Contamination in Consumable Ice at Various Points on Supply Chain from Manufacturers to Restaurants and Food Stalls
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Abstract
Objective: To determine the prevalence of microbial contamination in consumable ice collected from production points, storage rooms, transport trucks, wholesalers, and food and beverage shops/stalls. Method: The researcher interviewed and observed business operators and workers in ice production sites regarding manufacturing processes, storages, handling and transportation of ice. The study also tested bacterial contamination in ice using coliform test of the Department of Medical Sciences. Seventeen ice samples were collected all seven registered factories in Hatyai, Songkhla province, with 9 samples collected from ice dispensers and another 8 samples from storage rooms. Moreover, ice samples were also collected from 59 vehicles for ice transportation of 25 ice wholesalers, and 205 food and beverage shops/stalls. Results: The percentages of consumable ice collected from ice dispensers, storage rooms, wholesalers, and food and beverage shops passing microbial standard were 77.78, 50.00, 20.00 and 12.68 respectively. The percentages of consumable ice collected from vehicles transporting ice from factories to shops, from factories to wholesalers, and from wholesalers to shops that passed the standard were 25.00, 18.18 and 10.71 respectively. The ice transporting vehicles were trucks (44.07%) and modified motorcycles (33.90%). The prevalence of microbial contamination on the samples collected from the vehicles delivering ice from wholesalers to food and beverage shops was similar to that collected from food shops/stalls. The reasons for heavy contamination during transportation were the storage of ice in sacks with porous surface allowing the water to leak in and out, direct placement of ice sacks on the floor of the vehicles without any materials to protect direct contact of ice and floors, and many steps of transportation. Ice delivery and storages in each step were prone to microbial contamination, especially when handled by workers with no training in food hygiene who were not concerned on the importance of bacterial contamination. Conclusion: The study provided the information on bacterial contamination that could be used as an input for improving the quality control of ice production and that of ice transportation to the customer.
Article Details
ผลการวิจัยและความคิดเห็นที่ปรากฏในบทความถือเป็นความคิดเห็นและอยู่ในความรับผิดชอบของผู้นิพนธ์ มิใช่ความเห็นหรือความรับผิดชอบของกองบรรณาธิการ หรือคณะเภสัชศาสตร์ มหาวิทยาลัยสงขลานครินทร์ ทั้งนี้ไม่รวมความผิดพลาดอันเกิดจากการพิมพ์ บทความที่ได้รับการเผยแพร่โดยวารสารเภสัชกรรมไทยถือเป็นสิทธิ์ของวารสารฯ
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