Background and purpose: Ice cream is a frozen dairy product which is contaminated easily due to its nutrient environment and could endanger people’s health through food poisoning. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial contamination in traditional ice cream and factors affecting it. Materials and methods: This study was carried out in summer of 2012 using 50 samples of ice cream, row materials, scoops, containers, and staff’s hands. The samples were transported in sterile conditions to the Food Quality Control Laboratory. Results: The results showed that 84% of traditional ice cream were contaminated. The contaminations included Staph aureus (28%), Escherichia coli (52%), Bacillus cereus (4%), Listeria monocytogenes (2%), Enterococcus spp (14%), microorganisms (74%), and enumeration of enterobacteriaceae (70%). There was also a significant correlation between contamination in ice cream and row materials, scoops, containers, and staff’s hands (P<0.05). Conclusion: The main sources of contaminants for traditional ice cream were raw materials such as milk, sugar, salep, vanilla, utensils and staff’s hands. High levels of contamination in traditional ice cream and the risks of consumption indicates a serious need for greater control over production units and encouraging the public to use pasteurized ice cream through mass media.

Keywords: Ice cream, microbial contamination, pathogen bacteria

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