Short Communication: Microbiological Quality of Food Purchased from Home-Based Dark Kitchens

Purchase of locally processed food from home-based dark kitchens is common in Mauritius. This study aimed to compare the microbiological quality of locally processed food purchased from HACCP (hazard analysis critical control point) certified suppliers and non-HACCP certified foods purchased from home-based dark kitchens. A total of 16 food samples were collected and processed. Bacterial growth was observed in 87.5% of the non-HACCP samples and 25% of HACCP samples. The colony forming units were significantly higher in non-HACCP samples compared to HACCP samples (p = 0.04). E. coli was isolated from 25% and 37.5% of HACCP and non-HACCP food samples, respectively. It was noted that 64.3% of the bacteria isolated were resistant to amoxicillin, and 100% of the Pseudomonas spp. was resistant to ampicillin (10 μg), chloramphenicol (30 μg), and tetracycline (10 μg). There is a need to educate the population on food safety and the risks associated with the purchase of food from unregulated suppliers.