Prevalence of Fungal Contamination in Bottled Water and Plastic Containers in Iraqi Companies

Abstract

This study was designed to examine 100 samples of bottled drinking water from 20 different markets across Iraq. Samples were examined using the membrane method. Among of 32 samples, the fungi ranged between 29 - 388 colonies/100 ml, with 19 samples having a colony percentage below the permissible limit and 13 samples having a colony percentage higher than the maximum level specified in the International Standard for Water (no more than 100 colonies/100 ml). So 12 different fungal species were found in bottled water product (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus parasiticus, Penicillium italicum, Penicillium expansum, Penicillium glabrum, Alternaria alternate, Bipolaris spp., Trichoderma spp., Rhizopus spp., Chladosporium cladosporioides, and yeast ) The results showed that the same fungi were isolated from both water and plastic packaging. Antibiotic susceptibility tests showed that (ketoconazole, griseofulvin, and itraconazole) more effective against the isolated fungi.