In recent years, the national surveillance network reported the isolation of Enterobacter sakazakii and coliform from powdered infant formula (PIF). PIF means a breast-milk substitute specially manufactured to satisfy the nutritional requirements of infants during the first month. PIF is not sterile infant food and may be intrinsically contaminated with pathogens, such as E. sakazakii and Salmonella enterica that can cause serious illness in infants. Intrinsic contamination of PIF with E. sakazakii and S. enterica has been a cause of infection and illness in infants. E. sakazakii is an opportunistic pathogens and more commonly found than S. enterica in manufacturing environment. Even low levels of contamination of E. sakazakii and S. enterica in PIF were considered to be a risk factor. Enterobacteriaceae showed the high prevalence and some Enterobacteriaceae causing disease were detected. The infant food industry should be encouraged to reduce the concentration and prevalence of E. sakazakii in both the manufacturing environment and PIF. The presence of these microorganisms in PIF may occur as a results of contamination through ingredients during PIF manufacturing process and from the processing environment during packaging. In order to ensure that ingredients and packaging materials are microbiologically suitable, PIF manufacturer need to be selection of supplier according to stringent criteria (e.g. HACCP, good hygienic practices) and testing of ingredients especially colostrum. In conclusion, it is continually necessary to monitor the potential pathogens and reduce them to improve the microbial quality of non-sterilized PIF.

The aim of this study was to determine exposure assessment of pathogenic bacteria in edible ices by using the monitoring data from the previous study. According to the results of exposure assessment of edible ices contaminated with S. aureus, the contamination level of S. aureus in raw materials was higher than other foodborne pathogens, and the contamination level of S. aureus in mixed samples increased much before sterilization. The most significant reduction in contamination level was observed in mixed samples after sterilization, thus, the contamination levels in frozen final products was less than that of raw materials. Overall, the possibility for the infection of foodborne bacteria from the intake of edible ices per person per day was ranged from minimum 5.89 × 10-7 to maximum 5.01 × 10-5. For more realistic estimates, consumption of edible ices and dose-response model must be studied further.

This study was conducted to determine microbiological assessment on edible ices, which is one of mandatory items for HACCP application, and to provide basic scientific data for the improvement of HACCP system. In HACCP applied edible ice companies, the contamination levels of total counts, yeast and mold, and coliform from raw materials, mixed samples before sterilization, mixed samples after sterilization, and final products of edible ices were lower than those of non-HACCP applied edible ice companies. Foodborne pathogens, such as L. monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., B. cereus, S. aureus, Y. enterocoliticawere not detected in all samples of edible ices from HACCP applied edible ice companies, but S. aureus was isolated from 1 raw material, 1 mixed samples before sterilization and 1 final product of edible ices from non-HACCP applied edible ice companies, respectively.