title: Microbiological Quality of Fresh Nopal Juice.
abstract: The consumption of fresh nopal cactus juice is widely popular among health-conscious consumers in Mexico. The juice is prepared from fresh cladodes that have only been rinsed with tap water and are not subjected to a pasteurization or terminal bacterial reduction process. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial quality of commercially available fresh juices (n= 162) made with nopal in Texcoco, State of Mexico, during the summer and spring season. Standard microbiological methods, the PCR technique and the serological method were used for isolation and identification of bacteria. All samples contained total coliforms and 91% were positive forEscherichia coli. Although total coliforms andE. coliwere detected throughout the study, their populations were significantly lower (p< 0.05) in winter and spring, respectively.Citrobacter youngaewas found in 20% of the samples, an unidentified species ofCitrobacterin 10%,C. freundiiandProteus mirabilisin 3%, andSalmonellaJaviana in 1%. The presence of these microorganisms, especiallySalmonella, in the nopal juices is unacceptable due to its health significance. The information generated in this study is relevant for human health risk assessment associated with the consumption of unpasteurized nopal juices and potential interventions to minimize pathogen contamination.
authors.affiliation: Phytopathology, Graduate College, Carr. Mexico-Texcoco km 36.5, Montecillo, Texcoco 56230, Mexico. ahernandez@colpos.mx.
authors.forename: Ana María
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hernández-Anguiano
authors.affiliation: Phytopathology, Graduate College, Carr. Mexico-Texcoco km 36.5, Montecillo, Texcoco 56230, Mexico. patylanda@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Landa-Salgado
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), University Avenue No. 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, Coyoacan, Mexico City 04510, Mexico. eslava@unam.mx.|Unidad de Hemato Oncología e Investigación, Hospital Infantil de México "Federico Gómez"/División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina UNAM. Dr. Márquez 162, Col. De los Doctores, Cd. de Mexico 06720, Mexico. eslava@unam.mx.
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Eslava-Campos
authors.affiliation: Soil Science, Autonomous University of Chapingo, Km 38.5 Carretera Mexico-Texcoco, Chapingo 56230, Mexico. vargas_mateo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Mateo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vargas-Hernández
authors.affiliation: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. Jitu.Patel@ARS.USDA.GOV.
authors.forename: Jitendra
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patel
keywords: Citrobacter; E. coli; Opuntia-ficus indica; Salmonella; cactus; nopal juice; total coliforms