DETERMINATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF COMMERCIALLY PRODUCED CURD

Abstract

The study was undertaken to evaluate the microbiological quality and statistical analysis of curd available in Rangpur City. Curd samples from three different Sweetmeat Shops namely Mamoni, Mohua and Chadni were collected and analyzed. Significant difference in microbiological status was found among different curd samples. Of the three curd Brands examined. The samples were analyzed to determine the hygienic status of the curd and also for the total viable count, presence of Gram positive and Gram negative pathogenic bacteria. The bacteriological analyses were done at the Microbiology Laboratory of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur. During July to December—2013. Total viable count (TVC) was performed according to the American Public Health Association, using plate count agar medium for TVC and Eosine methylene blue (EMB) agar media for total E. coli count and Staphylococcus agar no. 110 for total staphylococcus count. The average TVC for Mamoni curd was lower (9.47x106 CFU/ml) in comparison to Mohua (1.0 x 10’ CFU/ml). It was apparent from the present study that the bacterial load of the curd samples of the three manufacturers were within the acceptable limit of public health safety, since the count was well below the acceptable limit. It was found that the highest extent of microbial contamination of viable bacteria occurred in Chadni curd. The average E. coli counts obtained from the study was in Mamoni 3.6x 10° CFU/gm (log 6.5), in Mohua 4.7 x 10° CFU/gm (log 6.6) and in Chadni 4.8 x 10° CFU/gm (log 6.7). The presence of numbers of E. coli in Mamoni was little bit high indicated the poor hygienic practices during manufacture, post process contamination and unsatisfactory transportation. Statistically the E. coli were more closely related to total viable counts than the staphylococcal counts. The average staphylococcal counts in the samples of Mamoni, Mohua, Chadni were 1.0 x 102FU/gm (log 2), 0.0 CFU/gm (log 0.0), and 0.0 CFU/gm (log 0.0), respectively. The results demonstrated that Mamoni curd are of the superior quality product in respect of sanitary condition.