RESUMO
During the years 1982-1987 a study was carried out about the rate of the incidence of foodborn infections and intoxications in Tehran which in many cases the consumption of traditional ice cream was the responsible foodstuff. The high incidence of foodborn infections and intoxication in this study was the motivation for a survey on the contamination of traditional Iranian ice cream with important bacteria associated with foodborn infections and intoxications. During the years of 1992-1994, within present study, a total of 390 samples of ice cream were obtained from five different areas in the city of Tehran and analyzed for the detection and enumeration of common and important pathogenic foodborn bacteria. From 150 samples, 122 [81.30%] showed Enterobacteriacae count more than 10[2] per gram of ice cream. In 106 [70.6%] and 2 [1.3%] of samples atypical E.coli and typical E.coli observed respectively. Fifty six samples out of 280 [20%] samples contained more than 10/ g of staphylococcus aureus. From 260 samples, 28 [10.75%] showed Bacillus cereus count more than 10/g and one sample out of 141 samples was shigella positive. No salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes and campylobacter jejuni was isolated from the samples. The survey on the incidence of food infections and intoxications during the study [1992-1994] showed a close correlation between the prevalence of etiological agents and the cases of foodborn infections and intoxications reported from public health agency of the country