Microbial Quality and Safety of Ready to Serve Street Foods vended in Allahabad City, India

Contamination of ready-to-eat foods and beverages sold by street vendors and hawkers rendering them unacceptable for human consumption has become a global health problem. A study aimed at examining the quality and safety of milk based foods in Allahabad city was done wherein a total of 40 samples were analysed including Ice cream, Kulfi, Mango Shake and Colour ice bar. The samples were classified in satisfactory, acceptable and unsatisfactory categories according to PHLS (Public Health Laboratory Services, UK) guidelines. None of the samples screened in the present study were in satisfactory grade however, 40% ice cream samples, 50% mango shake samples, 10% kulfi samples and 60% colour ice bar samples were within acceptable range. More than 50% samples of ice cream, kulfi, mango shake and 40% samples of colour ice bar samples were unsatisfactory as TPC count was 10 5 CFU/g/ml. The results showed that in most localities the street vended foods remained hygienically poor since bacteri...