# Post-Certification Quality Analysis of Traditional Indian Fried Snacks
## 4 Discussion
The pH values of Banana chips were found similar to those stated by [PERSON] et al. (2023), who reported that the pH values of their ripe and unripe plantain chips range from 5.16 to 6.04, respectively [42]. Microbial analysis can predict the safety and stability of products [8]. Food microbiological quality may be generally determined by TPC; a high TPC count could suggest that the items were not produced hygienically or kept properly. Studies have reported that foods with a TPC level of more than 10\({}^{6}\) CFU/g may pose a risk of food poisoning pathogens such as _Salmonella_, _E. coli_, and _Staphylococci_[26]. In this study, all products are manufactured following standard operating procedures, indicating that when products are produced under hygien conditions, the risk of food safety hazards is minimized. The consistently acceptable range of microbial count and physicochemical properties observed throughout the study period may be attributed to the modified air packaging, which effectively reduced environmental contamination. Most international guidelines recommend Mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB) analysis as an indicator of microbiological status in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. In this regard, MAB counts exceeding 5 log cfu/g are considered a potential risk for the presence of pathogens [54]. The findings of this study align with these guidelines, reinforcing that the products analyzed meet internationally recognized microbiological safety standards. Based on the results obtained, it has been found that the microbiological safety of all the samples examined indicated low levels of TPC (<5 log CFU/g). The study found an average count of 4.61 log cfu/g in Kerala Mixture in 2020, which was the highest TPC count across all products, while in the subsequent year, the average TPC level remained below this value. These results suggest possible post-frying and process environment contamination, likely caused by stages in seasoning, mixing, cooling, and packaging processes. Previous study indicates that while low-moisture snacks are generally microbiologically stable, contamination hazards remain, especially after frying, due to the application of seasonings and handling during cooling and packaging [35]. Seasonings that are added after frying without a kill-step provide a risk of contamination and necessitate strict hygiene measures. As outlined in ISO 22000, risk reduction should incorporate hazard-based control methods, environmental monitoring, and sanitation verification [21]. A similar study on the traditional snack \"Chanachur\" reported unsatisfactory microbial quality in both branded and unbranded samples, attributing contamination to improper handling, unclean mixing machines, and poor personal hygiene among food handlers [55]. High microbial counts in ready-to-eat (RTE) snacks are usually associated with poor hygiene and storage conditions, especially in unregulated or street-vendor settings. For example, a study in Nigeria reported the presence of total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, and foodborne pathogens such as _S. aureus_ and _E. coli_ in snack products sold in unsanitary conditions [11]. Despite this, unseasoned finished fried products typically have aerobic plate counts of less than 100-1000 CFU/g. The results also found that the product Achappam has consistently had the lowest microbial count among all products. The results obtained in this study are like to the data reported for Banana chips by [PERSON] et al. (2018), who evaluated the microbiological quality of plantain banana snacks in Venezuela, revealing a load of 5.78 \(\times\) 10\({}^{2}\) CFU/g for aerobic mesophilic germs, indicating the product is safe for consumption without any harmful health effects [56]. The authors emphasize the importance of a sanitized production line and immediate packaging of products to minimize outdoor exposure and contamination. These findings reinforce the importance of maintaining strict post-processing controls, especially for the Kerala Mixture, which showed a higher TPC count across all years.