Bacteriological Quality and Associated Factors of Ready-to-consume Juices in Yeka Sub-City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Date
2025
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Ready-to-consume fruit juices are highly valued for their nutritional benefits,
however, pose significant public health risks due to microbial contamination caused by poor
hygiene, improper handling, and inadequate sanitation practices, particularly in low-income
countries like Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess the bacteriological quality and associated factors of ready-to-consume fruit
juices in Yeka sub-city, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2024, involving 189 juice
samples collected from 63 local vendors. The plate count method was used to determine aerobic
plate counts, total coliform, and thermotolerant coliform counts, while the spread plate method
was used for Staphylococcus count on Mannitol Salt Agar. Escherichia coli detection involved
transferring positive thermotolerant coliform samples to Nutrient broth, followed by
confirmation using Kovacs reagent. For Salmonella and Shigella, Buffered Peptone Water and
Rappaport Vassiliadis enrichment broths were used, with Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate Agar
serving as the selective medium; pinkish colonies with black centers were confirmed through
biochemical tests. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed on Muller Hinton Agar for
all bacterial isolates. Vendor hygiene practices were evaluated using structured questionnaires
and checklists, and data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was
used to compare medians among different juice types. Bivariate logistic regression and multiple
logistic regression were applied to assess relationships between dependent and independent
variables, with a p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The analysis revealed that the median for aerobic colony
Results: The analysis revealed that the median for aerobic colony count, total coliform,
thermotolerant coliform, and staphylococcal count across all samples were 7.14 × 106 CFU/ml,
2.8 × 106 CFU/ml, 6.4 × 104 CFU/ml, and 2.2 × 103 CFU/ml, respectively. From a total of 189
samples, the pathogens identified included E. coli, which was found in 29.1% of cases, S. aureus
in 45.5%, and Salmonella in 6.9%. The presence of hand washing facilities, frequency of hand
washing, and the cleaning agents used were significant contributing factors for the presence of
Salmonella, with AOR of 5.34 (95% CI: 1.06–26.81, p = 0.002), 0.07 (95% CI: 0.01–0.15, p <
0.001), and 0.127 (95% CI: 0.028–0.57, p <0.001), respectively. Moreover, hair cover usage was
also significantly associated with S. aureus detection with (AOR = 2.9, 95% CI: 1.2-7.1, p =
0.016).
E. coli exhibited moderate resistance to ampicillin and tetracycline, with 10.9% multidrugresistant
(MDR). Salmonella demonstrated 100% resistance to ampicillin and tetracycline, with a
15.38% MDR level. Moreover, 41.9% of S. aureus identified were MDR with resistant to
tetracycline (51.2% n=44/86), penicillin (90.7% n=78/86), and oxacillin (66.3% n=57/86).
Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) was identified in 58.1% of S. aureus isolates, while
extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli was detected in 21.8% of E. coli
isolates.
Conclusion: The findings from this study clearly indicate the poor hygienic conditions of these
juices and the consumers are at risk of getting food-borne infections and underscore the urgent
need for improved hygiene practices, regular monitoring, and targeted public health interventions
to reduce microbial risks in ready-to-consume fruit juices in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Keywords
Risk factors, fecal Coliform, fruit juices, total coliform, antimicrobial resistance.