BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF ICE USED IN MUCURIPE MARKET, FORTALEZA, BRAZIL

A close examination of the microbiological quality of the ice made and used in the local markets in Fortaleza, Brazil, revealed it to be of poor quality. Besides the common food spoilage organisms often encount ered in sea foods, foodbourne pathogens (streptococcus, listeria and f ecal coliforms) were also detected. Gramnegative bacilli/cocacacilli o utnumbered all other groups by representing 78% of the total 90 isolat es. The remaining 12% included gram-positive non-spore forming rods an d gram-positive cocci. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.