Agossou D. P. Noumavo^{1, 2,}, Haziz Sina², Noel Tovide¹, D’Avila Y. Dognon¹, Stéphane K. Houessou¹, Christian T. R. Konfo³, Epiphane Hossou⁴, Fatiou Toukourou¹, Farid Baba-Moussa¹

Fruit juice production sector has been booming in Benin for a decade. The juice production enterprises seem to have both organisational and technical shortcomings. The objective of this study was to evaluate the manufacturing processes of the main fruit juices in South Benin in order to provide corrective measures for hygienic and technical shortcomings. The methodological approach consisted in a semi-structured survey coupled with direct observations of fifty (50) fruit juice producing enterprises. The assessed parameters were mainly related to good hygiene and production practices. These enterprises are located in the municipalities of Cotonou and Abomey-Calavi. At the end of this study, it was found that pure pineapple juice and pure ginger, tamarind and baobab nectars are the most produced mono-fruity juices. The production process for each of these juices is almost identical, except for the temperature/time pairing, which varies from one enterprise to another. On the other hand, the manufacturing process of poly-fruity juices is kept secret by the enterprises. Several technical and hygienic shortcomings relating to the five (05) potential sources of food contamination (raw material, environment, work method, labour and equipment) were noted. These deficiencies compromise the safety and salubrity of fruit juices produced in South Benin. Consumers of these juices are therefore permanently exposed to food poisoning and toxi-infection risks. The training of actors in fruit juice sector on hygienic and production practices is becoming urgent.

fruit juice, manufacturing process, technological diagram, critical control point, food hygiene