Abstract

Six brands of fruit juice preparations made up of three different batches per brand were used for the study. The purpose of the experiment was to identify and characterize the microbial load (bioload) in these products using standard procedures. At the end of the study, none of the samples was found to contain any viable microorganism. These findings showed that the samples used in the study were of high quality standard, and therefore fit for human consumption. Foods with a pH lower than 4 are considered as high in acid and are generally regarded as not being susceptible to spoilage by a variety of microorganisms. At this low pH, acid – tolerant yeasts and mycelial fungi mostly cause spoilage, while bacterial spores will not germinate and grow under these acidic conditions. The acid or acidified foods with a pH below 4.6 are not subjected to heat – treatments at temperatures sufficient to destroy bacterial spores.

Key words: Bioload, fruit juice, viable, microorganism.