Microbiological Quality and Safety of Energy Drink Available in the Local Markets in Saudi Arabia

A Energy drinks have become a popular beverage worldwide. The global market for energy drink has gained momentum in the past decade, and demand is increasing every year. The objective of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of commercial energy drinks available in the local stores in Saudi Arabia. Total bacterial count, coliform, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus aureus were included in this analysis. Out of a total of 20 tested energy drinks, microbial contamination was present in only two products. Microbial levels of the total bacterial count for most of the samples were very low (< 1.0 log CFU/ml). The initial biochemical analysis from these two samples indicated the presence of Bacillus which is common spoilage bacteria in soft drinks showed bacterial contamination. In addition, we also tested the impact of energy drinks on beneficial microorganisms (Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp). We found that in all tested energy drinks bacterial population decreased by at least 4.0 log CFU/ml indicating the negative effects of drinks on the survival of beneficial microorganisms. Our findings suggested that safety improvements are needed in these energy drinks. Moreover, consumers also need to be educated regarding the impact of various ingredients, their safety, and recommendation regarding the use of these drinks. This will help to ensure safe products available for today's savvy, health-conscious consumer. Thus, the proposed methodology could be useful for quality and safety control purposes in the energy drinks industry