Microbial Contamination of Date Rutab Collected from the Markets of Al-Hofuf City in Saudi Arabia

Microbial Contamination of Date Rutab Collected from the Markets of Al-Hofuf City in Saudi Arabia

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The microbial contamination of 60 samples from six date cultivars in the rutab stage purchased from different retail outlets in AL-Hofuf City, Saudi Arabia was studied.All Dail samples were found contaminated with aerobic mesophilic bacteria at loads in the order 102 to 105 cfu/cm2 with some significant differences among varieties that can be attributed to differences in the weather conditions during rutab season.Also all samples, except only one, were contaminated Bottle Lids/Covers with molds and yeasts at loads in the order 102 to 103 cfu/cm2.Potentially pathogenic Staphylococcus aureus was detected in 57 samples and A.flavus/parasiticus in 13 samples, while coliforms were detected in 39 samples.