Microbiological evaluation of bottled non-carbonated ("still") water from domestic brands in Greece

The microbiological quality of 1,527 samples of bottled non-carbonated ('still') mineral water, purchased from retail outlets and derived from 10 manufacturing companies in Greece, was investigated during the period 1995-2003. Applying the membrane filter technique, the aliquots of water samples (250 ml) were analyzed for the presence and enumeration of total coliforms, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Also, aerobic bacteria were counted as Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) ml(-1) at 22 and 37 degrees C. Positive samples for the parameters tested varied significantly among brands with an overall percentage of 13.95% bottled water samples noncompliant with the Greek water regulation. Microorganisms isolated from the samples tested were identified as species of Pseudomonas, Aeromonas, Pasteurella, Citrobacter, Flavobacterium, Providencia and Enterococcus. The most frequent isolated microorganism during the period of the study was P. aeruginosa. Generally, bacterial load of the samples tested ranged in low levels. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the microbiological quality of the bottled water provided by domestic brands in the Greek market during the period 1995-2003.     

Commercialization conditions and practices influence the microbiological quality of mineral waters

The objective of the present study was to determine the microbiological quality of bottled mineral water marketed in commercial establishments and by street vendors and to evaluate the influence of the storage and maintenance conditions on the microbiological quality of the product. Ten samples from the same batches of five different brands of water were analyzed, for a total of 50 samples. Of the five brands analyzed, only one (brand A), when collected in a commercial establishment, complied with the legal Brazilian standards for mineral water with respect to the presence of total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The remaining samples failed to comply with these microbiological standards for at least one of the parameters evaluated. The water samples obtained from street vendors were inferior in microbiological quality to samples from the same batch that were obtained from commercial establishments.     

Microbial quality of domestic and imported brands of bottled water in Trinidad

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the microbial quality of domestic and imported brands of bottled water available in Trinidad, purchased from six geographical regions in Trinidad, and representing the whole island. A sample size of 344 bottles of water was determined by using a precision rate of 2% and a Type 1 error of 5%. The membrane filter technique was used with cultures grown on m-Endo agar and m-FC agar for total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms, respectively. Aerobic plate count (APC) was determined on nutrient agar; Pseudomonas aeruginosa was detected on MacConkey agar, Escherichia coli was isolated on eosin methylene blue (EMB) and Salmonella spp. was assayed by using standard methods.Of the 344 water samples tested, 262 (76.2%) and 82 (23.8%) were domestic and imported brands, respectively. Eighteen (5.2%) of the 344 samples contained coliforms with a mean count of 0.88+/-6.38 coliforms per 100 ml, while 5 (1.5%) samples contained E. coli. The prevalence of total coliforms in domestic brands of bottled water was 6.9% (18 of 262) as compared with 0.0% (0 of 82) detected in imported brands. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.004). Similarly, the prevalence of aerobic bacteria in domestic brands of bottled water (33.6%) was significantly higher (p=0.001) than was found in imported brands (14.8%). Twenty-six (7.6%) of the total samples of water contained Pseudomonas species, but all were negative for thermotolerant coliforms and Salmonella spp.It was concluded that based on the recommended zero tolerance for coliforms in potable water, 5% of bottled water sold in Trinidad could be considered unfit for human consumption.     

Microbiological safety of bottled mineral water in patients susceptible to infections

We evaluated the microbiological safety of bottled mineral water products commercially available in Japan. Of 10 bottled mineral water products manufactured in Japan, no bacteria or fungi were detected in 9 (90%), but 1 (10%) contained 1.8x10(3) colony-forming units (cfu)/mL. Of 12 bottled mineral water products manufactured in the EU, 11 (91.7%) contained 23-3.5x10(4) cfu/mL. On the other hand, of 5 bottled mineral water products manufactured in North America, 2 (40%) contained 2.3x10(2)-2.5x10(3) cfu/mL. The detected microorganisms were glucose-nonfermentative Gram-negative bacilli such as Brevundimonas vesicularis, Moraxella spp., and Burkholderia cepacia, but Pseudomonas aeruginosa was not detected in any product. For immunocompromised host patients being managed in ultra-clean rooms, the examined bottled mineral water products manufactured in Japan, except 1, were microbiologically safe.     

MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ARTISAN-MADE MEXICAN BOTANERO CHEESE IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS

Artisan-made Mexican Botanero cheese in the northwest of the state of Mexico in the central highlands is a soft-paste, fresh product made from raw cow milk. The microbiological quality was determined in cheese from 10 cheese producers. Milk and cheese samples were taken, and the hygienic process was recorded. Milk was analyzed for aerobic mesophil bacteria (AMB) and total coliform bacteria (TC), and in cheese TC and fecal coliforms (FCs) were determined. Results were compared with the Mexican COFOCALEC (milk) and NMX-462 (cheese). All bacterial counts were above those allowed for AMB (100,000 cfu/mL) and TC (1,000 cfu/mL). The norm allows up to 100 cfu/g of TC, but all cheese samples were above the norm. FC should always be negative, but all cheese samples were also positive. Raw milk is bought in with microbiological problems, and the artisan-manufacturing process further contaminates the final product, which constitutes a risk for human health. Even more rigorous legislation could not be met by artisan cheese makers in the highlands of central Mexico under the current conditions.

PRACTICAL APLICATIONS

In Mexico, there is an ample variety of artisan-made cheeses with a potential to be positioned in regional, national and even export markets by obtaining quality certification either as appellation controleé or as collective trademarks. However, in order to obtain this certification, it is necessary to analyze the situation of all the characteristics of the cheeses such as bacteriological quality. Before carrying out this study, the bacteriological quality of the Botanero cheese was unknown. Taking into account the obtained results, it is intended to carry out joint collaboration with cheese producers, so that their products can achieve the required standards and can reach a better position in the market, without being a risk for human health.     

西藏地区牦牛乳理化和微生物指标的检测分析

研究了西藏地区牦牛乳的理化指标和微生物指标。从西藏3个不同地区共取48份牦牛乳样品．通过理化和微生物指标的检测及其统计分析，研究发现牦牛乳的营养成分为：脂肪7．14％（体积分数）、粗蛋白5．06％（质量分数）、干物质18．45％（质量分数）、乳糖5．00％（质量分数）和灰分0．81％（质量分数），并且不同地区各成分的质量分数也不同。牦牛乳的微生物检测结果为（对数值）：细菌5．63mL^-1，芽孢菌1．76mL^-1，乳酸菌5．19mL，真菌3．03mL^-1，肠道菌3．27mL^-1，大肠杆菌2．09mL^-1和金黄色葡萄球菌3．52mL^-1，并且存在明显的地区差异性。     

瓶装饮用纯净水生产中微生物数量的控制

针对某生产厂饮用纯净水成品中微生物总数超标,对生产各环节进行分析和改造,通过采取增大臭氧投加量和混合程度、保证灌瓶纯净水臭氧残留量、改善冲瓶用水质量等技术措施,使微生物总数由65cfu/ml降低到1cfu/ml以下,达到GB 17324-1998要求,并持续稳定.     

Classification of Iranian bottled waters as indicated by manufacturer’s labellings

Water is the most important substance in our daily lives and contains minerals which play an important role in our nutrition. In this study, the chemical composition of Iranian bottled water brands were investigated by correlation analysis, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. For this purpose, the chemical composition reported on the label of 73 Iranian bottled waters was used as data set. It was found out that only 26 brands had eight important parameters such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chloride, sulphate, bicarbonate and fluoride and 20 brands had acceptable charge balance error. Results showed that Iranian bottled waters can be divided into 11 classes. Most of them were Ca–Mg–HCO₃ type. The relationships among selected variables were also examined by Piper diagram. The best brands were introduced for common customers and kidney stone patients. The chemical content of Iranian bottled water brands was also compared with some world standards. It was observed that only one of the brands had fluoride in excess compare to that of standard values.     

Lead in bottled waters: contamination from glass and comparison with pristine groundwater

Using clean lab methods and protocols developed for measuring lead (Pb) in polar snow and ice, we report the abundance of Pb in 125 brands of bottled water from 28 countries. Comparison of six samples of each of three brands of water available in both glass and polyethyelene terephthalate (PET(E)) showed that the waters bottled in glass contained approximately 57, 30, and 26 times more Pb due to leaching from the containers. Excluding the bottled waters in glass, the median Pb concentration in all bottled waters was found to be 8.5 ng/L (n=185), with a range from <1 to 761 ng/L Pb. Our study includes 25 brands of bottled water from Canada, and the median Pb concentration in these samples was 15.9 ng/L (n=25), with a range from 2.1 to 268 ng/L. For comparison with the bottled waters, pristine groundwater from six artesian flows in southern Ontario, Canada, where some of the bottled waters originate, yielded a median concentration of 5.1 ng/L Pb (n=18). The median Pb concentrations reported here for bottled waters from Canada are 32-588 times less than those presented in recently published studies. In fact, all of the waters tested were well below the maximum allowable concentration established by the EU, Health Canada, and the WHO for Pb in drinking water (10 microg/L).     

Microbiological quality of ice creams commercialized in some cities in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The microbiological quality of 60 ice cream samples of three commercial brands (A, B and C) of various flavours, commercialized in some towns in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was evaluated. Total bacteria count (TCB), coliforms at 35°C (CT), coliforms at 44°C (CF) and presence of Staphylococcus aureus were performed on all samples. TCB ranged from 2.0 × 10 ² to 6.9 × 10 ⁵ cfu/mL, CT from < 3–≥ 2400 MPN/mL, CF from < 3–1100 MPN/mL and S. aureus from < 10–1.4 × 10 ⁶ cfu/mL. The level of bacterial contamination found in this study reflects the unhygienic conditions prevalent in manufacturing and storage of ice creams. Actions are thus necessary by the Brazilian regulatory agencies to require the ice cream processing plants to adopt quality guarantee systems, such as good manufacturing practices and hazard analysis and critical control points system.     

温州市桶装饮用水微生物污染状况调查

了解温州市桶装饮用水卫生微生物污染状况,分析其饮用安全性,为有关部门加强生产企业的监督管理提供科学依据。 方法 按国家标准方法对桶装饮用水进行菌落总数、大肠菌群、铜绿假单胞菌测定和评价。 结果 3 838份桶装饮用水样品,总合格率为60.34%,以菌落总数和铜绿假单胞菌超标为主,而各个季度合格率最高的是第一季度,其次是第四季度,各类桶装饮用水中矿泉水合格率最高为62.76%,最低为经饮水机冷水出口的桶装饮用水为55.10%,温州不同地区桶装饮用水超标率最高的是瑞安。 结论 温州地区桶装饮用水卫生微生物污染状况严重,存在较严重的卫生隐患,应引起我们和相关部门的关注和重视,加强监督与管理,同时企业自身应加强对产品的质量管理,指导消费者合理安全选用桶装饮用水。     

2017~2018年茂名地区包装饮用水污染物监测分析

目的 了解2017~2018年茂名地区内瓶、桶装饮用水污染情况。方法 根据饮用水类别分别按GB 19298-2014《食品安全国家标准 包装饮用水》和GB 8537-2008《饮用天然矿泉水》对各污染物开展检测。结果 2017~2018年间采集辖区范围内共计239批瓶、桶装饮用水, 其中检验耗氧量项目的有118批次, 共有10个批次检出污染物, 检出率为4.17%。有6批次产品检出铜绿假单胞菌, 检出率为2.51%; 2批次检出溴酸盐, 检出率为0.84%; 2批次耗氧量超标, 检出率为1.69%。结论 大多数企业的产品安全, 但仍存在铜绿假单胞菌等污染物的污染情况, 应加强对瓶、桶装饮用水生产过程的监管, 以保证饮用水质安全。     

Methodology for screening bottled water for the presence of indicator and pathogenic bacteria

At present in Canada, analysis of bottled water includes the use of pour plates for determination of aerobic colony counts (ACC); most probable numbers (MPNs) for the determination of coliforms and Escherichia coli; and filtering of 100-ml aliquots of the water for the determination of Aeromonas hydrophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Generally, such analyses of bottled water products are time-consuming, costly, and often pointless as properly manufactured bottled water (especially those treated with ozonation and carbonation) will contain little or no bacteria. The ideal analysis would include the use of an enrichment broth that would resuscitate injured bacteria and allow them to multiply in the presence of an indicator system that would detect the presence of ‘indicator micro-organisms’ such as coliforms and/or pathogens. The use of such a broth would simplify the analyses and reduce costs associated with the testing of bottled water. The present study compared the recovery of stressed or low numbers of indicator and pathogenic bacteria from bottled water by i) determining if the standard method for coliforms/E. coli would isolate other indicator micro-organisms; ii) comparing the use of presence absence broth, nutrient broth and buffered peptone water as resuscitation/isolation broths; and iii) comparing recovery of indicator micro-organisms on a variety of selective agars. Its purpose was to make recommendations concerning the methodology for analysing bottled water; and to subsequently make recommendations as to the ‘best’ indicator for bottled water. Recommendations for the use of resuscitation broths in screening procedures are presented.     

The microbiological quality of drinking water supplies of Izmir City: the incidence of Yersinia enterocolitica

A total of 100 water samples collected from piped public supplies, wells with and without motor pumps, springs and commercially bottled spring waters were microbiologically examined. In order to determine microbiological quality, aerobic bacterial and coliform counts were estimated and the presence of Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica was investigated. Of the samples tested, 85 of them met the specifications set by TFR (Turkish Food Regulation) for coliforms, whereas 72 of them met the specifications for aerobic bacteria. The number of samples containing Y. enterocolitica and E. coli were found to be 6 and 5, respectively.     

Impacts of Agricultural Practices on Water Quality in Uma Oya Catchment Area in Sri Lanka

Sustainability of global food production is highly depending on the quality of the environment. In many parts of the world increase of agricultural production heavily depend on intensive agricultural practices which are having negative impact on the environment. The impacts of agricultural practices on surface water quality is given special attention currently since the safe and ample supply of freshwater is fundamental to humans and for the sustainability of ecosystem function. Intensive agricultural practices in river catchments often pose threat to the ecological integrity of river ecosystems. Uma Oya watershed in the upper Mahaweli watershed in Sri Lanka is an intensively cultivated landscape. In most parts of the catchment previously forested lands have been cleared and converted to agricultural lands. However, the empirical evidence on quantitative assessment of such land use conversion impacts on stream ecological health is lacking in the context of river catchments in Sri Lanka. Therefore the present study was aimed at evaluating the agricultural land use impacts on stream physical habitat quality, water quality and macroinvertebrate indices in the Uma Oya catchment at different spatial scales. The relationship between catchment and site scale % agricultural lands, water quality and macroinvertebrate indices were evaluated using univariate and multivariate approaches. The results indicated that stream physical habitat quality, water quality parameters and macroinvertebrate indices are significantly (p<0.05) affected by catchment scale % agricultural land cover. Among the water quality variables that were tested NO₂-N, NH₃-N, PO₄-P and BOD₅ level in sites with higher percentage of agricultural land cover exceeded the drinking water quality standards during dry season. PO₄-P and BOD₅ level in those sites exceeded the proposed ambient water quality standards for inland waters in Sri Lanka for aquatic life and for irrigation purposes. Findings of the present study suggest that catchment scale interventions are crucial for the management of Uma Oya watershed and for the improvement of water quality and sustainable agricultural production.     

Microbial profiles of on-line--procured sprouting seeds and potential hazards associated with enterotoxigenic Bacillus spp. in homegrown sprouts

We examined the microbiological quality of sprouting seeds sold through the Internet. Overall, five types of seeds each from six organic and six conventional sources were evaluated. The growth and toxin production of naturally occurring Bacillus spp. in sprouts produced using home-scale sprouting devices also were investigated. For alfalfa, broccoli, lentil, mungbean, and radish seeds, the average microbial counts were 3.3, 4.0, 2.8, 3.5, and 3.6 log CFU/g, presumptive B. cereus counts were 0.7, 1.0, 0.8, 1.0, and 0.9 log CFU/g, and total coliform counts were -0.3, -0.4, -0.5, 0.0, and -0.4 log of the most probable number per gram, respectively. No Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157, other fecal coliforms, or Staphylococcus aureus was found on seeds. Compared with conventional seeds, the organic seeds had lower or equivalent counts for total microorganisms, presumptive B. cereus, and total coliforms. When seeds were sprouting using a glass jar, the growth of presumptive B. cereus was significant for radish and broccoli but not for alfalfa, lentil, and mungbean sprouts; the counts exceeded 5.0 log CFU/g in radish sprouts. When sprouts were grown using an automatic sprouting device, presumptive B. cereus showed slight growth (< 3.0 log cycles) in radish, broccoli, and mungbean sprouts but no growth in alfalfa and lentil sprouts. Although the presumptive B. cereus isolates were enterotoxigenic, they did not produce or accumulate detectable levels of diarrheal toxins in freshly produced sprouts.     

广西水牛原料乳微生物和理化指标分析

按不同种群从广西取80个水牛原料乳样品，通过理化和微生物指标检测，对水牛乳营养价值和安全性进行了分析比较．主要理化检测结果如下：脂肪7．32％，蛋白质4．71％，乳糖4．67％。固形物18．42％，灰分0．84％（均为质量分数），pH值为652，密度1.030g／mL。纯种河流型水牛摩拉和尼里-拉菲的脂肪、蛋白质、固形物、灰分舍量显著低于（P〈0.05）河流-沼泽型杂交水牛。微生物检测结果如下（对数值）：细菌总数5．69mL^-1，茅孢菌3．03mL^-1，乳酸菌4．79mL^-1，真菌1．80mL^-1，大肠菌群2．48mL^-1，大肠杆菌1．83mL^-1，金黄色葡萄球菌1.80mL^-1，所有样品中李斯特氏苗均未检出。地区间微生物指标差异较大。微生物含量均在可接受范围之内，但是致病菌的出现说明需要建立相关的卫生质量标准.     

Bacteriological quality of drinking water from dispensers (coolers) and possible control measures

Three water dispensers (coolers) were bacteriologically monitored over a period of 3 months to evaluate their hygienic status. For this purpose, 174 samples of chilled and unchilled water were analyzed for levels of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and the presence of Escherichia coli and enterococci in 100-ml samples, and the presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 10- and 100-ml samples. Additionally, 12 samples from 20-liter plastic bottles of spring water used to supply the coolers and 36 samples of 12 different brands of noncarbonated bottled mineral water were similarly analyzed. Water from the coolers yielded aerobic plate counts of 3 to 5 log CFU/ml with a geometric mean of 3.86 log CFU/ml, whereas water from the 20-liter bottles had a mean aerobic plate count of 3.3 log CFU/ml. Aerobic plate counts for noncarbonated mineral waters were generally lower (13 samples, < 10 CFU/ml; 6 samples, 10 to 10(2) CFU/ml; 13 samples, 10(2) to 10(3) CFU/ml; 3 samples, 10(3) to 10(4) CFU/ ml; 1 sample, 2 x 10(4) CFU/ml). Although occasional professional cleaning of the coolers did not affect the aerobic plate count, P. aeruginosa was successfully eliminated 2 weeks after cleaning, with only one cooler becoming recolonized. Neither E. coli nor enterococci was found in any of the water samples tested. However, P. aeruginosa was identified in three (25%) of twelve 100-ml samples from 20-liter bottles of spring water; a similar frequency of 24.1% was seen for water samples from coolers. Overall, 35 (21.6%) of 162 water samples (10 ml) from coolers also yielded P. aeruginosa, suggesting potential growth of P. aeruginosa in the dispensers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis typing and antibiotic susceptibility testing found 19 P. aeruginosa isolates from the coolers and bottles to be identical, indicating that a single strain originated from the bottled water rather than the surroundings of the coolers. Because P. aeruginosa can cause serious nosocomial infections, its spread should be strictly controlled in institutions caring for vulnerable people such as hospitals and nursing homes. Consequently, in keeping with legal requirement for bottled spring and mineral water in Switzerland, it is also advisable that P. aeruginosa be absent in 100-ml samples of cooler water.     

Benefits of Water Safety Plans: microbiology, compliance, and public health

The Water Safety Plan (WSP) methodology, which aims to enhance safety of drinking water supplies, has been recommended by the World Health Organization since 2004. WSPs are now used worldwide and are legally required in several countries. However, there is limited systematic evidence available demonstrating the effectiveness of WSPs on water quality and health. Iceland was one of the first countries to legislate the use of WSPs, enabling the analysis of more than a decade of data on impact of WSP. The objective was to determine the impact of WSP implementation on regulatory compliance, microbiological water quality, and incidence of clinical cases of diarrhea. Surveillance data on water quality and diarrhea were collected and analyzed. The results show that HPC (heterotrophic plate counts), representing microbiological growth in the water supply system, decreased statistically significant with fewer incidents of HPC exceeding 10 cfu per mL in samples following WSP implementation and noncompliance was also significantly reduced (p < 0.001 in both cases). A significant decrease in incidence of diarrhea was detected where a WSP was implemented, and, furthermore, the results indicate that population where WSP has been implemented is 14% less likely to develop clinical cases of diarrhea.     

Microbiological quality and potential public health risks of export meat from springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in Namibia

To assess the microbiological quality and safety of export game meat; i) a total of 80 pooled meat samples for aerobic plate count (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae ii) water used in harvesting and processing for microbiological quality and iii) meat and rectal contents for Salmonella spp. and Shiga toxin Escherichia coli (STEC) were evaluated in 2009 and 2010. No differences (p > 0.05) in the APCs were observed between the years, but the mean Enterobacteriaceae count for 2009 was 1.33 ± 0.69 log₁₀ cfu/cm² compared to 2.93 ± 1.50 log₁₀ cfu/cm² for 2010. Insignificant Heterotrophic Plate Count (HPC) levels were detected in 9/23 field water samples, while fecal bacterial (coliforms, Clostridium perfringens and enterococci) were absent in all samples. No Salmonella spp. was isolated and all E. coli isolates from meat were negative for STEC virulence genes (stx1, stx2, eae and hlyA), suggesting a negligible role by springbok in the epidemiology of STEC and Salmonella.