The microbiological quality of ice used in human consumption

The aim of this study was to investigate the microbiological and chemical quality of open and closed ice cubes used for human consumption. The study consisted on 60 samples gathered from different provinces of Antalya, Burdur, Isparta. The closed ones; 14 were flavoured, 14 non-flavored and closed ones 16 of them from the fish markets and 16 from cafes. Chemical analyses were held to determimine the presence of free chlorine, pH and conductivity. Membran Filtration Method (MFY) was used to determine the presence of coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and Enterococcs. General Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria (AMGC), yeast-mold presence were examined by the use of classical inoculation techniques. Out of 60 samples in %5 Coliform bacteria were dedected, %1.7 E.coli and % 33 Enterococcs presence was dedected. Coliform, E.coli and Enterococcal bacteria did not grow in any of the flavored ice cubes. The average of yeast and mold on flavored ice cubes was found to be 1.76x10³ cfu/ml and 1.25x10¹ cfu/ml on open and closed non flavored ice cubes (p:0,002). The average AMGC was found to be 1.69x10² cfu/ml in flavored ice cubes and 2,01x10¹ cfu/ml in open and closed non flavored ice cubes (p:0,020). The difference between the average of AMGC and yeast-molds detected in flavored and non flavored ice cubes was significant.