Sanitary quality and adulterants in selected processed foods

Abstract

The study entitled “Sanitary quality and adulterance in selected processed foods” was conducted to identify the contaminants and adulterants found in most commonly consumed processed foods through chemical and microbial evaluation. The study comprised of two independent surveys to identify the most commonly sold and consumed processed foods. The identified items were subjected to chemical and microbial analysis.

The survey conducted among selected (100) households in Trivandrum city revealed the socio-economic status of the family, extend of use of processed foods and knowledge of the respondents on the sanitary quality of foods. From the survey, it was found that majority of the respondents were Hindus living in urban pockets with nuclear type of family. The average income of the respondents ranged between Rs.1000 to 2500 per month. An inventory survey was also conducted among 100 shops in 15 selected areas of Trivandrum city. These 15 areas were selected from the map of Trivandrum city based on the assortment of shops selling processed foods. From the survey it was found that 17 items were sold to a greater extend (out of 58 different items sold in the shops) than other processed foods selected for detailed study. The other 6 items were excluded because they had already been subjected to ‘quality testing ‘ based on PFA rules.

The foods thus selected for evaluation were icecream, fruit juice, fruit drinks, ground nut sweets, milk, soda, jelabi, laddu, biscuit, bread and cakes were excluded from microbial analysis as these foods were subjected to processing by high temperature, which reduced microbial load. Results of microbial analysis showed that all the 10 samples were free of microbial contamination. Analysis of composition, to check whether the food samples confirmed to the standards specified by ISI revealed that all the food samples were free from adulteration. However 2 ice cream samples and a fruit drink sample (out of 10 samples each tested) were not up to the standard specified by ISI. The fat content of 2 ice cream samples and total solid content of a fruit drink sample were below the standard specified by ISI. Thus the study revealed that the items most frequently used by consumer of Trivandrum city and sold in abundance, from the shops were found to be of good sanitary quality and were found to be free of adulterants.