Public health risks of fresh fruit juices: bacterial isolation, fecal contamination assessment, and antibiotic resistance patterns

Abstract

Fresh fruit juices are widely consumed across Bangladesh due to their nutritional value, taste, and accessibility in urban markets and roadside stalls. This study investigates the microbiological quality and health risks of freshly made fruit juices sold in nine locations across Dhaka city. 27 Juice were collected from vendors to count fecal coliform count (FCC) alongside aerobics plate count (APC). Also, samples are diluted and spread on selective media for isolation and identification. After that PCR-based identification revealed that juice samples are contaminated with Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio spp., Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus which pose an entirely significant health risk. Moreover, 96.3% of the samples contained bacteria where Klebsiella pneumoniae leading as the dominant microorganism. Approximately 66.7% of the samples exceeded the acceptable limits for FCC, and 44.44%% failed to meet the standard microbiological safety threshold for APC. Among 147 bacterial isolates, Klebsiella pneumoniae exhibited high resistance to Ceftazidime. Multidrug resistance was also observed in Staphylococcus aureus (78.57%) and Salmonella spp. (75%). These findings highlight significant public health risks associated with pathogenic contamination and antibiotic resistance in fresh fruit juices.