Microbial Safety and Shelf-life Enhancement of Jaggery through Good Manufacturing Practices Implementation in Karnataka State, India

Abstract

Jaggery is a traditional non-centrifugal sugar widely consumed in India for its nutritional and health benefits. However, jaggery produced in cottage-scale units often suffers from poor hygienic practices, leading to microbial contamination and reduced shelf life. The present study evaluated the impact of implementing Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) on microbial safety and shelf-life enhancement of jaggery produced in Karnataka, India. A baseline survey of 50 traditional jaggery production units was conducted to assess compliance with GMP parameters. One selected unit was upgraded following FSSAI-recommended GMP guidelines, including use of treated water, food-grade equipment, pest control measures, improved sanitation, and worker hygiene practices. Microbiological quality of traditional and GMP-produced jaggery was assessed using standard ISO methods for total plate count, yeast and mould, coliforms, and Salmonella. Shelf-life stability of GMP jaggery was evaluated under accelerated storage conditions (40°C ± 2°C and 75% ± 3% relative humidity). Traditional jaggery samples showed high microbial loads, with total plate counts ranging from 160 to 960 CFU/g and presence of coliforms and Salmonella in several samples. In contrast, GMP-produced jaggery exhibited a significant reduction in microbial load, with total plate count reduced to 28 ± 22 CFU/g and complete absence of coliforms and Salmonella. Yeast and mould counts remained within permissible limits. Accelerated shelf-life studies demonstrated microbiological stability and acceptable quality of GMP jaggery for up to 485 days, compared to approximately 120 days for traditional jaggery. The findings confirm that GMP implementation significantly improves microbial safety and extends shelf life of jaggery, supporting its production as a safe, marketable, and scalable traditional food product.