Food borne diseases increase worldwide and contamination of food contact surfaces serves as one of the reasons for their occurrence. The aim of this study was to determine the microbiological quality of spoons at selected restaurants in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Five restaurants were selected therein for the study. They were respectively labelled A, B, C, D and E. A total of 150 cleaned spoons (30 spoons from each restaurants) that were ready to be used by customers at the restaurants were examined. Total plate counts (CFU/cm2) of the spoons were determined; the presumptive and confirmatory tests for the presence of Escherichia coli on the spoons were also conducted. The samples were collected by surface swabbing. The result showed that restaurant C and B had the highest and lowest total plate counts (TPC), respectively. Samples from 3 of the 5 selected restaurants (restaurants C, D and E) showed positive results for the presence of E. coli mainly due to poor dishware cleansing. On the contrary, negative results for the presence of E. coli at restaurant A and B were associated with the advance cleaning procedure, which used more hygienic method with dishwashers.
Diabetes mellitus has a high prevalence in Malaysia and is expected to rise in the future due to lifestyle changes. Thus, consumers are turning to alternative methods in the prevention and cure of the disease. The Momordica charantia has been studied for its anti-diabetic activity both in vitro and in vivo and is shown to be effective in inhibiting glucose absorption. Therefore, the MC is used as a main ingredient in the development of health beverages to offer alternatives for patients or the health conscious. The microbial quality of the product is examined to ensure the safety of the product and to find methods to enhance its shelf life.