Authors : K. Nkere Chukwuemeka, I. Ibe Nnenne and U. Iroegbu Christian
Abstract: About 66 food samples representing 10 food types (beans, yam, abacha, okpa, moimoi pear, cassava-foofoo, rice, agidi and garri) and 10 water samples obtained from food vendors and restaurants in Nsukka were examined for bacteriological quality (coliform contamination) using the Most Probable Number (MPN) and Lactose Fermentation Count (LFC)/Escherichia Coli Count (ECC) methods. The food samples examined exhibited varying degree of contamination. The percentage contamination ranged from 50-96.3, 33.3-100 and 16.7-100% for the MPN, LFC and ECC, respectively. Of this, pear had the highest percentage contamination (96.3, 100 and 100) for the MPN, LFC and ECC methods used, respectively. The bacterial count was expressed as Geometric Mean Count (GMC). The GMC (Log10 CFU mL-1 or g) for the LFC and ECC ranged from 5.32-9.26 and 4.46-7.81, respectively. Abacha had the highest coliform count in both the LFC (9.26) and ECC (7.81). The MPN count ranged from 1-180. Expectedly, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed significant difference (p<0.05) in bacterial count amongst the various food samples, however there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the three methods used for the coliform enumeration. Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia were the two major coliforms identified of the 98 coliform isolates obtained from the various food samples of which 78 (79.6%) were of human origin having multiplied at 44°C. The level of coliform contamination in the food samples from vendours and restaurants were above limits. Thus, this study calls for stringent supervision/implementation of food safety practices and regular education on food and personal hygiene.
K. Nkere Chukwuemeka, I. Ibe Nnenne and U. Iroegbu Christian, 2010. Bacteriological Quality of Foods and Water Sold by Vendours and in Restaurants in Nsukka, Nigeria: Assessment of Coliform Contamination. Journal of Food Technology, 8: 175-179.