FOR MICROBIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY (TOTAL PLATE COUNT, E. COLI)

Microbiological contamination is a very serious issue for food products. While the national standards have not specified requirements in this regard, we conducted tests on the biscuit samples for total plate count (TPC) as well as presence of E. coli. These microorganisms are responsible for many food-borne diseases. Due to improper or poor hygienic condition during the manufacturing process, microorganisms may occur in the finished product. • Two brands, Cremica (370 cfu/100 gm) and Anmol (310 cfu/100 gm), were found with a slightly higher total plate count. All other brands had TPC less than 10 cfu/100 gm. As mentioned earlier, there is no requirement specified in the Indian Standard. • E. coli was absent in all brands.