Abstract

Background: Across Africa, where diverse fruits thrive in abundance, fruit juices constitute a part 
of daily life, offering refreshment and nourishment. However, the microbiological quality of fruit 
juices stands as a pivotal issue affecting public health. 
Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the microbiological 
quality of fruit juices across Africa.  
Methods: Three databases; Scopus, PubMed, and Embase were systematically searched from 
inception to November 4th, 2023 for African studies which have reported assessing the 
microbiological quality of fruit juices. Twenty studies were included in this review having met the 
eligibility criteria.  The selection and inclusion process followed the preferred reporting items for 
systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.  
Results: A total of 1531 fruits juices were sampled and assessed for microbial contamination in 
20 studies across eight countries and we observed a pooled prevalence of bacterial contamination 
of 86.96%,(95% CI [81.25 - 90.93], I2= 86.96% (95%CI [81.25 - 90.93]) across the studies. We 
observed that Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus, and Salmonella are common isolates 
across studies. Other bacteria are Micrococcus, Pseudomonas, Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, 
Acetobacter, Corynebacteria, Enterobacter, Serratia, Aeromonas, Shigella, Listeria, Yersinia, 
Proteus, Klebsiella, and Enterococcus.   
Conclusion: Our study indicated a higher prevalence of bacterial contamination with both 
commensals and pathogenic bacteria indicating juices and potential sources of foodborne illness. 
We observed that the majority of African countries had no published research on fruit juices. The 
potential pathogens observed in our study are Salmonella, Shigella, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus.   
Proper personal hygiene, washing of fresh fruits, and good handling during the preparation of 
juices are mandatory for the prevention of bacterial contamination.