Análisis microbiológico en yerba mate compuesta

forty one samples of composite yerba mate (cym) from posadas, misiones, argentina were studied: 21 samples containing less than 15% of herbs (cym 15%). the analysis was performed by microbiological counts of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria (tmab), total coliforms (tc), coliforms thermotolerant (ctt), moulds and yeasts (my) and escherichia coli detection. microbiological counts showed average values cym15%: tmab=3.4x106 cfu/g, tc=6.8x102 mpn/g, nmp ctt=3.4x101 cfu/g and my=1.0x105 cfu/g. in ymc>15% escherichia coli was detected. cym presents significant microbial contamination, being higher in cym>15%. microbiological parameters analyzed are higher than those reported in elaborated yerba mate, showing the importance of microbiological controls to cym.