MICROBIOLOGICAL AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ARTISANAL AND INDUSTRIAL ICE CREAMS COMMERCIALIZED IN THE REGION OF ARAPONGAS-PR

Abstract

The ice cream is a food consumed in all age groups, due to it s sensorial characteri stics and nutritional value. This work had as objective to evaluate the quality of artisanal and industrial ice cr eams commercial ized in the r egion of Arapongas-PR. Three brands of artisanal and four of industrial ice creams were evaluated, being three di ffer ent lots of each brand, rega rding their microbiological (search of Salmonella and counts of coagulase-positive staphylococci, total coliforms and thermot olerants coli forms) , a nd physicochemical (pH, t it r ata ble acidit y a nd chemical composition) chara cter ist ics. T he samples compli ed with the physicochemical patterns required by the Brazilian legislation. It was not observed the presence of Salmonella and Staphylococus aureus. However, the total and thermotoler ants coli forms counts were above the established limit in al l samples, which therefore were considered unsuitable for consumption.