Microbiological quality and safety assessment of imported ice cream from the Bashmakh border crossing, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Border food inspection—the microbiological analysis of imported products at points of entry—is a critical safeguard for public health. To evaluate this framework's effectiveness, our study provides the first large-scale microbiological assessment of 2623 pre-packaged ice cream samples imported from Iran into Iraq's Kurdistan Region. We aimed to determine compliance with national standards and assess the prevalence of hygiene indicator bacteria and foodborne pathogens. Samples collected between January and August 2025 were evaluated for Aerobic Plate Count (APC), Total Coliform Count (TCC), Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella species, and Listeria monocytogenes. The vast majority of samples demonstrated high microbiological quality. While all samples were compliant for APC, three (0.11%) exceeded the acceptable limit for TCC. Crucially, all 2623 samples tested negative for the presence of E. coli, S. aureus, Salmonella spp., and L. monocytogenes. These findings indicate that imported ice cream sold in this region generally meets national safety standards and poses a low risk to public health, highlighting the effectiveness of current border inspection protocols.