Introduction:

In Bolivia, coca leaves are used for medicinal purposes; they are chewed whole or crushed with additives to improve their flavor; however, poor handling is a risk for consumers due to the presence of microorganisms. The objective was to evaluate the bacterial, fungal, and parasitic load in samples of crushed coca leaves, Chapareña, and Yungueña.

Material and methods:

An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach. 33 samples of crushed coca, 33 Yungueña, and 33 Chapareña were evaluated. The following were counted: mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB), total coliform bacteria (TCB), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), molds and yeasts, and Salmonella spp. and parasites were also detected.

Results:

The average BAM in chapareña coca was 2.0*109 CFU/g, for Yungueña it was 6.6*109 CFU/g and 2.4*109 CFU/g for machucada. The average BCT was 9.8*108 CFU/g for chapareña, 3.1*109 CFU/g for Yungueña and 7.7*108 CFU/g for machucada. Chapareña coca had a S. aureus count 1.5*108 CFU/g lower than Yungueña and machucada, the average of molds and yeasts was 9.0*109 CFU/g for chapareña, 7.6*108 CFU/g for Yungueña and 5.7*108 CFU/g for machucada, results outside of those established according to the consulted regulations. Salmonella spp. were identified in eight samples of mashed coca. Giardia lamblia cysts were also present in two of the samples. The Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significant differences in BCT counts between mashed coca, Chapareña, and Yungueña coca.

Discussion:

The mashed coca, Chapareña, and Yungueña coca samples showed abundant bacterial and fungal contamination, with values ​​higher than those established in the different regulations consulted. The presence of parasitic cysts was also evident.