Microbial Assessment and Sources for Contamination of Unpackaged Fruit Juice Served in Restaurants of Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality Western Uganda

Introduction: Globally, unpackaged fruit juices are consumed daily as part of our meals or alone. Unpackaged fruit juices are juices usually served in restaurants in cups. In Bushenyi, Ishaka Municipality Uganda, the most commonly served fruit juices in restaurants are mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and watermelon. However, these juices are beneficial to consumers, their safety is of public health concern due to their suitability in supporting bacterial growth. Objective: This study assessed microbial load and sources for contamination of unpackaged fruit juices served in restaurants of Bushenyi, Ishaka Municipality. Methods: A cross-sectional was employed and unpackaged fruit juice samples were collected in a sterile universal specimen container, transported in a cold chain box to the microbiology laboratory immediately for analysis. Total bacterial load, total coliform and a structured questionnaire were used to collect data on sources for contamination. Results: This study found consistent levels of bacterial contamination range between 5.2 - 5.4 log CFU/ml with no significant differences found on day 1 and day 7 and this demonstrated constant levels of contaminants in the study areas. Contamination on day 1 and day 7 was observed in mangoes, passion, pineapples and watermelon with no significance differences. The total coliform count was in the range of 4.9 - 5.3 log CFU/ml and was highest in all juices above the reference acceptable limits. Water as factor for contamination was significant at p < 0.05. The high bacterial load and fecal coliform are attributed to the use of unclean water for juice preparation. This study observed contamination with fecal coliform bacteria to be a public health concern in the study areas and called for intensify health education among juice producers to observe safety steps during juice preparation and storage.