Studies on Organoleptic and Microbiological Quality of Shrikhand Sold in and Around Hyderabad

The present study was carried out to evaluate sensory and microbiological quality of Shrikhand sold in and around Hyderabad city, India. The overall sensory score of the Shrikhand samples collected from cooperative sector was high (94.5), slightly less in branded private sector (93.65) and least (80.7) in the unbranded samples. The total viable counts were 2.65x10⁷CFU/g, 8.85x10⁷CFU/g and 4.58x10⁹CFU/g, Coliform counts 5.5x10¹CFU/g, 6.8CFU/g and 2.28CFU/gand Yeast and Mould counts 5.35x10²CFU/g, 7.95x10²CFU/g and 3.85x10⁴CFU/g in cooperative, branded private and unbranded samples respectively. The incidence was 40%, 45% and 100% for E.coli, 20%, 25% and 30% for Salmonella , 60%, 65% and 90% for Staphylococcus, 10%, 10% and 20% for Listeria and 15%, 20% and 40% for Bacillus and the counts were 2.35x10², 3.86x10² and 4.86x10⁴CFU/g for E.coli, nil, niland 3x10¹CFU/g for Salmonella, 3.86x10³, 4.89x10³ and 8.65x10⁴CFU/g for Staphylococcus, 0.5x10¹, 0.8x10¹ and 3.2x10¹CFU/g for Listeria and 1.2x10¹, 2.2x10¹ and 8.53x10²CFU/g for Bacillus in cooperative, branded private and unbranded samples respectively. The microbiological incidence and counts were high in unbranded, least in cooperative and in between in branded private sectors.