The microbiological quality of soft ice-cream from fixed premises and mobile vendors

A microbiological study of soft ice-creams and the mixes used to prepare them examined the effect of the microbiological quality of the mixes on the final product. Among 1246 soft ice-creams from fixed premises and mobile vendors one (< 1%) was of unacceptable quality and a further 327 (26%) were of unsatisfactory quality. The unacceptable sample contained Staphylococcus aureus in excess of 10⁴ cfu g^-1. The samples with unsatisfactory results had high aerobic plate (APC) and Enterobacteriaceae counts. Of the 597 mix samples examined, liquid mixes were of poorer microbiological quality than powders due to the presence of high APC (> 10⁵ cfu ml^-1) and Enterobacteriaceae (> 10⁴ cfu ml^-1) counts. The microbiological quality of soft ice-cream was dependent on the type of mix and dispensing machine used and the frequency of cleaning. Samples from fixed premises were of higher quality than those from mobile vendors. Although most soft ice-creams (74%) were of an acceptable microbiological quality, evidence from this study indicates that the microbiological quality of soft ice-cream sold from certain outlets in the UK remains a cause of concern.