ANTIBIOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITYTESTING OF ISOLATED COLIFORMS FROM PANEER MARKETED IN KATHMANDU
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Amrit Campus
Abstract
Paneer is a valuable dairy product due to its high nutritional value, distinctive texture, and
flavor makes it a good meat substitute. Poor hygiene during preparation, storage and
handling of foods including dairy products can lead to microbial contamination in
developing nations like Nepal. The aim of this study was to screen microbial quality of
paneer and to determine the antibiotic susceptibility testing of total coliforms and
thermotolerant coliforms. Here, 30 paneer samples were randomly collected from dairy
shops and other different locations in Kathmandu and samples were processed at
Department of Microbiology, Amrit Campus during April to June 2022. Serial dilution of
sample was performed and by using pour plate method, total coliform count and
thermotolerant coliform count was determined. All isolated organisms were identified by
various biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility pattern of coliforms was carried out
by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. In this study, 16.6% of paneer samples were within
requirements of DFTQC and FSSAI with maximum count of 4.5×105 cfu/gm and
thermotolerant bacteria with maximum count of 9.6×104
cfu/gm. Coliforms isolated from
paneer were Escherichia coli (46.9%), Klebsiella spp. (37.5%) and Citrobacter spp.
(15.6%). Thermotolerant coliforms were Escherichia coli (58.5%), Klebsiella oxytoca
(11.8%), Klebsiella spp. (17.6%) and Citrobacter spp. (11.8%). All isolates of total
coliforms (n=32) and thermotolerant coliforms (n=17) showed 100% sensitivity towards
Gentamycin and Cotrimoxazole. Resistance towards Ampicillin (40%), Cefoxitin (30%)
and Azithromycin (30%) were shown by thermotolerant E. coli. Resistance towards
Cefoxitin (66.7%), Azithromycin (33.3%) were shown by thermotolerant Klebsiella spp.
The highest resistance for E. coli was found in Azithromycin (40%) and Ampicillin (40%)
in total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms. However, no multiple- antibiotic resistant
was found in isolates of total and thermotolerant coliforms. The majority of the paneer
samples in this investigation did not meet the microbiological requirements. Sitapaila
provided the greatest number of microbiologically acceptable samples, whereas Naikap
provided the least number. Thus, it is necessary to monitor and control the quality of paneer
sold in Kathmandu.