Abstract:
The microbial quality of mango and chocolate flavoured ice cream samples were investigated. The samples (factory and homemade flavoured ice cream) were collected from three regions namely Khartoum, Khartoum North and Omdurman. The samples were collected randomly. The mean (cfu/ g) value of total bacterial counts, Staphylococcus, moulds and yeasts, total colifrom and spore forming bacteria (SFB) of chocolate and mango flavoured ice cream were in the range of 3.0×103 to 8.9×103, 0.0 to 2.1×102, 0.0 to 5.2, 1.4×10 to 2.5×10 and 0.0 to 3.0 cfu/g, respectively. The highest total bacterial count observed in homemade mango flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum North area (8.9×103 cfu/g) and the lowest count was observed in homemade chocolate flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum (3.0×103 cfu/g). On the other hand homemade ice cream produced in Omdurman obtained the highest Staphylococci count (2.1×10 cfu/g), while factory chocolate flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum North and homemade chocolate flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum were nil. The highest count of yeasts and moulds were obtained by mango flavoured homemade ice cream produced in Khartoum (8.2×10 cfu/g), while mango and factory chocolate flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum and Omdurman were nil. The total coliform count was highest in factory chocolate flavoured ice cream and the lowest count obtained by homemade ice cream. The tested samples showed no counts for spore forming bacteria except chocolate and factory mango flavoured ice cream produced in Khartoum and homemade chocolate favored ice cream produced in Khartoum.
E. coli were observed in all tested samples, while salmonella were observed in mango and chocolate flavoured ice cream in Omdurman area. Pseudomonas bacteria were absent in all tested samples.
From this study, it is concluded that mango flavoured ice cream had a significantly higher frequency of bacterial counts compared with chocolate flavoured ice cream products. Homemade mango flavoured ice cream had a significantly higher frequency of bacterial counts compared with factory mango flavoured ice cream products.
The current investigation has indicated a poor overall level of hygiene in the service of chocolate and mango flavoured ice cream in the Khartoum State of Sudan.
