Study on the current status of exposure to pathogenic microorganisms and consumers' interest in milk tea

Abstract The assurance of food safety is paramount, especially concerning ready‐to‐drink products like milk tea. This research sought to gauge the safety perceptions of both student and office worker demographics towards this beverage using a combination of direct and online surveys. The data reveals that 84.6% of respondents express significant concerns about hygiene and safety standards within milk tea consumption. A substantial portion of these consumers indicates a willingness to expend between 2‐4 USD per serving. Alarmingly, analyses of several popular milk tea brands have identified considerable concentrations of pathogenic microorganisms: Coliform counts were observed at 10 8 , E. Coli at 10 10 , Pseudomonas at 10 8 , and Salmonella at 10 4 (CFU/mL). A primary suspected avenue of this microbiological contamination appears to be ice, which exhibits levels exceeding nationally stipulated safety thresholds.