MICROBIAL LOADS AND ASSOCIATION OF ENTEROPATHOGENIC BACTERIA IN ICE-CREAMS SOLD BY STREET VENDORS AT DHAKA CITY IN BANGLADESH

Street foods are very common sources of infectious diseases in Bangladesh. In present study the microbiological quality of three types of ice-creams obtained from street vendors in Dhaka city was evaluated.  The microbiological quality of commercially produced Ice-creams (milk based, lolly and kulfi) was identified by examining total viable count (TVC) and association of enteropathogenic bacteria. The TVC and coliform count were determined respectively on Nutrient and MacConkey Agar after 24 hours incubation at 30̊C. Association of Salmonella, Shigella were detected on SS Agar and Vibrio on Thio-sulfate Citrate Bile Salts (TCBS) media .The average TVC for milk based, lolly and kulfi  were 2.53×10⁵ cfu/ml, 7.16×10³ cfu/ml and 1.26×10⁷ cfu/ml respectively. A total number of 86 strains were isolated from 3 types of Ice-creams. The association of pathogenic bacteria was the main concern though the TVC was apparently not so high. Besides this, the predominant types of bacteria of the family Enterobacteraceae and vibrionaceae were found (E.g. Plesiomonas, Enterobacter, Escherichia coli, Vibrio spp etc. Salmonella spp were isolated from milk based Ice-creams). So, the level of bacterial contamination founded in this study reflects the unhygienic condition.