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Journal of Microbiology Research 2012, 2(4): 89-94 DOI: 10.5923/j.microbiology.20120204.05

Organoleptic and Microbial Quality of Ice Cream Sold at Retail Stores in Mymensingh, Bangladesh
K. M. Mahmud Hossain, S. M. Lutful Kabir*, M. Mufizur Rahman, M. Bahanur Rahman, Khair Ahmed Choudhury
Department of Microbiology and Hygiene, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bangladesh AgriculturalUniversity, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Abstract A study was conducted to assess the sanitary quality of ice cream manufactured by five different plants namely
Milk vita, Igloo, Polar, Savoy and Kwality sold in retail stores in Mymensingh Town, Bangladesh. The result revealed the average total viable counts which were 3267 CFU/ml (log 3.5) in Milk vita, 3500 CFU/ml (log 3.5) in Igloo, 13833 CFU/ml (log4.1) in Polar, 16500 CFU/ml (log 4.2) in Savoy and 20916 CFU/ml (log 4.3) in Kwality ice cream samples. It was found that the highest extent of microbial contamination and proliferation of viable bacteria occurred in Kwality ice cream. The average coliform counts obtained from the study was in milk vita 0.33 CFU/ml (log -0.5) and igloo 0.0 CFU/ml (log 0.0), Polar16500 CFU/ml (log 4.2), Savoy16500 CFU/ml (log 4.2), Kwality 20916 CFU/ml (log 4.3) and the presence of numbers of coliforms in Polar, Savoy and Kwality ice creams samples were fairly high (10/ml) indicated the poor hygienic practices during manufacture, post process contamination and unsatisfactory transportation. Statistically the coliforms were found more closely related to total viable counts than the staphylococcal counts.The average staphylococcal counts as revealed in the samples of Milk vita, Igloo, Polar, Savoy and Kwality were 0.5 CFU/ml (log -0.3), 0.0 CFU/ml (log 0.0), 4.33 CFU/ml (log 0.6), 8.8 CFU/ml (log 0.9) and 4.4 CFU/ml (log 0.6) respectively may present cause for alarm which could be associated with potential food poisoning hazards. The results demonstrated that Igloo and Milk vita ice creams are ofthe superior quality product in respect of sanitary condition.

Keywords Ice Cream, Organoleptic Quality, Microbial Quality
Although pasteurization, freezing and hardening steps in production can estimate most of the microbial hazards, but still numerous health hazards are persistent due to various conditions[3]. Many psychrophiles and psychrotolerant microorganisms like Listeria monocytogens,Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus, Salmonella, Shigella, Streptococus, Pseudomonas, Campylobacter, Brucella and other bacteria are generally present in ice cream[4]. In all developed countries the establishment of ice cream industry has promoted to build up improvement in health and economic well being of the nation. Unfortunately in Bangladesh keeping in view the coherent consumer’s protectionpolicies, there has been made very limited development of ice cream industries like savoy, polar, kwality, igloo, milk vita etc. Since Bangladesh does not have any organized food control service to ensure safety of food supplies, it is very difficult to ascertain whether the ice cream produced and distributed in our country is hygienically safe and without any public health hazard. Therefore, thepresent study was designed to determine the organoleptic and microbial quality of ice cream sold at retail stores in Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

1. Introduction
Ice cream is a delicious, wholesome, nutritious frozen dairy food. It is made of milk, sweet cream, skim milk, condensed milk or other concentrated dairy products or a combination of these with added sugar, flavoring and stabilizer with orwithout color and with incorporation of air during the freezing process[1]. Ice cream is undoubtedly one of most popular and favorite food product in Bangladesh among children and adults especially during summer season. Several brands of ice cream in variety of flavors have been marketed here. Quality of ice cream depends on both extrinsic factors that include manufacture procedure, and intrinsic...