Objective: To assess the microbiological contamination level in edible ice produced in three districts: Cau Giay, Nam Tu Liem and Bac Tu Liem according to QCVN 10:2011/BYT regulation (National Technical Regulation for Edible Ice) by identifying five microbiological indicators.
Methods: Tests were conducted for detection and enumeration of five microbiological indicators in edible ice samples collected from 28 ice manufacturing plants in three districts: Cau Giay (8 facilities), Nam Tu Liem (10 facilities) and Bac Tu Liem (10 facilities) according to QCVN 10:2011/BYT by membrane filtration technique.
Results: Contaminations were observed in a total of 27 out of 28 edible ice samples collected from ice manufacturing plants in Cau Giay, Nam Tu Liem and Bac Tu Liem districts with microbiological indicators including P. aeruginosa (23 samples), Total Coliform (22 samples), S. feacal (12 samples), E. coli (5 samples) and Spores of sulfite-reducing anaerobes (0 samples). Moreover, the percentage of edible ice contaminated with E. coli, P. aeruginosa and S. feacal was significantly higher among samples collected from Bac Tu Liem compared to those of Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem.
Conclusion: The contamination rate of edible ice samples from ice manufacturing plants in three districts of Cau Giay, Nam Tu Liem and Bac Tu Liem was at a high level according to QCVN 10:2011/BYT regulation. Therefore, appropriate interventions are needed to reduce the microbiological contamination of edible ice, thus improving quality of life and health of residents in those three districts of Ha Noi.