Microbial quality in reference to Bacillus cereus of boiled rice in restaurants and roadside dhabas of Pantnagar
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Date
2008-07
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
Rice dishes are frequently served in hotels, restaurants small food service establishments and held at ambient temperature. The practice of cooking rice and storing it prior to final serving and the final reheating process produces rice of an unacceptable microbiological quality which poses a risk to health. The present investigation was conducted to study the microbial quality of rice prepared in restaurants and road side dhabas of Pantnagar with reference to Bacillus cereus and the factors leading to microbial contamination so that control measures at critical control points in its preparation process can be suggested. For the present this study all the restaurants and roadside dhabas (n=17) of Pantnagar were interviewed and observed for hygienic and safety process followed in their units. Effect of ambient temperature in Feb. and Mar. and application of control and hygiene measures in Apr. on microbial quality and safety of boiled rice was studied in one volunteer food unit. The samples raw rice and boiled rice; food contact surfaces and water were collected periodically and analysed for total plate count (TPC), total coliform count (TCC) and yeast and mould count (YMC) and Bacillus count (BC) by using standard methods. The results showed that 29 per cent owners were educated up to graduation and above whereas only 3 per cent of the handlers were educated up to graduation. Almost all of the food units (94 per cent) were ranked poor with respect to personal hygiene, unit and environment hygiene and food handling practices and only had fair status. About 88 per cent prepared rice following unsafe and unhygienic practices viz. the preparation of boiled rice in bulk in advance; cooking kept ambient temperature in uncovered vessels. All the microbiological parameters viz. TPC, TCC, YMC and BC showed significant increase (p<0.05) with the change of season, with higher values in summer season. The TPC, TCC and YMC values at second hour of service in Feb. (1.75x103, 2.43x102 and 3.7x102 CFU/g) and Mar. (2.35x103, 4.4x102 and 5.23x102 CFU/g) were found to be significantly (p<0.05) reduced to nil in Apr. due to application of control and hygiene measures. Microbiological status of boiled rice was unsatisfactory in 23 per cent of the food units according to standard. Presence of B. cereus was confirmed in 76 per cent and 61 per cent of raw and boiled rice samples, respectively. Both, TPC (5.7x103, 8.1 x104 and 1.3 x106 CFU/g during one, two and three hour of holding) and TCC (2.7 x102 CFU/g, 9.2x102 and 7.2 x103 CFU/g during one, two and three hour of holding) differed significantly (p<0.05) with respect to holding time of cooked rice. None of the food contact surfaces (>105CFU/g) involved in boiled rice preparation qualified as per sanitary standards. Stored water contained coliforms more than 1100/ml hence it was judged not fit for use. Three critical control points (CCPs) viz. cooking, holding of cooked rice and reheating of cooked rice have been identified for safe preparation of boiled rice. The application of control measures at CCPs in addition to GMP/GHPs can improve the quality and safety of finished product.
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