TITLE:
Quality Control of Juices Produced in Democratic Republic of Congo and Marketed in Lubumbashi
AUTHORS:
Isabelle Kasongo Omba, Criss Koba Mjumbe, Guyslain Mashini Ngongo, Oscar Luboya Numbi
KEYWORDS:
Fruit Juice, Quality Control, Lubumbashi/Democratic Republic of Congo
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.11 No.4,
April
15,
2020
ABSTRACT: The consumption of juice has increased sharply in recent years in
Lubumbashi. The objective of this study was to determine the standards
applicable to the types of juice for domestic consumption in Lubumbashi. A
descriptive cross-sectional study on quality control (QC) of ten brands of
juice selected from around thirty listed on
the Lubumbashi markets focused on the determination of different
physico-chemical and microbiological parameters. Physical analysis of
the juices was carried out in the laboratory of the Congolese Office of Control (OCC) in
February 2019. It appears that five samples, or 25%, have a density lower than
the ISO 9001 standard. All the samples have a Brix Degree in accordance with
French standards applicable by the Congolese control office. The chemical
analysis shows that 4 samples, or 20%, have a pH 4, therefore higher than the prescribed standards.
As for the titratable acidity and the formaldehyde index, all the samples have
values within normal limits. On the other hand, the glucose level of all the
samples is abnormally high (≥40 g/L). The
sucrose level of 50% of the samples is normal (≥80 g/L). Microbiological analysis revealed that certain
juices were without preservatives and harbored aerobic mesophilic germs (10%),
lactic bacteria (20%) yeasts and molds (10%). It is urgent that the public
authorities bring all the producers to respect the standards in order to
protect the health of the populations.