Caracterización de bacterias y testeo de métodos de desinfección de botellones de agua de la planta Fuente San Felipe S.A. ubicada en el cantón Latacunga provincia de Cotopaxi

Abstract

The problem of bottled water quality is acute throughout the world, and it has been addressed with water testing that ensures accurate and timely results. Bottled water manufacturers are tasked with testing larger volumes of samples, even dealing with unexpected emergencies, while adhering to more stringent local regulations. The use of returnable bottles has determined that there are contaminants due to improper handling of the containers, exposure to the environment and wear of the bottle materials. This study focused on establishing the microbial load, identifying the microorganisms involved and proposing continuous improvement protocols to ensure the food safety of bottled water from the Fuente San Felipe S.A. plant. Evidence of bacterial contamination was found in the returnable bottles. The presence of aerobic mesophiles was determined, which are indicators of contamination due to exposure to the environment, total coliforms, without finding evidence of fecal contamination and the critical microorganism found to establish the quality of water was Pseudomonas stutzeri. The disinfection protocol was adjusted to eliminate this microorganism with the use of hydrogen peroxide in concentrations of up to 3 percent and applications of up to 15 minutes of contact in the bottles, the latter being considered the best treatment. In order to ensure the quality of the final product, a food quality and safety management system is proposed, based on measurement, analysis and improvement of the disinfection and packaging processes.