Near to40% of the natural orange juice consumed in Spaingets readyin bars and restaurants, but according to a study by researchers from the University of Valencia (UV), the inadequate handling of oranges and the lack of cleanliness of the devices used during the process favor thebacterial contaminationof the product.
The team collected 190 batches of squeezed oranges from various catering services and analyzed their microbiological content on the same day. The results reveal that43% of the samples exceeded the level of Enterobacteriaceae established by food regulationsof Spain and the European Union, and 12% the limit of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms. The presence ofStaphylococcus aureusand species ofSalmonellain 1 and 0.5%, respectively, of the batches examined, according to the data published in the journalFood Control.
“In general, a percentage of orange juices are consumed immediately, but in many cases they remain in stainless steel jugs without any protection”, warns Isabel Sospedra, one of the authors of the study. In fact, according to the SINC agency, scientists have detected that “unacceptable” levels of enterobacteria appear in those juices that were kept in metal jugs in 81% of cases, and in 13% with respect to mesophilic aerobes. However, when the freshly squeezed liquid is served in glass glasses, these percentages are reduced to 22 and 2% respectively. “To this we must add that vending machines have a large number of contact surfaces and many cavities, allowing themicrobial contaminationand its subsequent carry-over when the juice is made, “explains Sospedra.
To ensure the health of consumers, experts recommend performing a correctcleaning and disinfection of both the juicers and the jugs where the liquid is stored, although it is always better to take it as it occurs.
In 2009, the Spanish population drank 138 million liters of orange juice, according to data from the Ministry of the Environment and Rural and Marine Affairs, of which around 40% were taken naturally in hospitality establishments.
