BACTERIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF FAST FOODS SOLD A

Abstract

The bacteriological quality of snacks (meatpie and eggroll) collected from different vendors at two different sale points each at Gidan-Kwanu and Bosso campuses of Federal University of Technology, Minna was carried out in order to ascertain their safety. A total of fourty (40) snacks were screened using standard pour plate method while gram staining and biochemical test were carried out for the identification of various isolates. The samples had varying degree of bacterial contamination ranging from 2.0 x 102 - 1.4 x 103 cfu/g. The bacteria isolates found include Bacillus subtilis (34.12%) in meatpie and (22.45%) in eggroll; Staphylococcus aureus (18.82%) in meatpie and (22.45%) in eggroll; Klebsiella (22.35%) in meatpie and (22.45%) in eggroll; (4.71%), Escherichia coli (20.00%) in meatpie and (26.53%) in eggroll; Pseudomonas aeruginosa in meatpie and (4.08%) in eggroll and Proteus (2.04%) in eggroll and no growth of proteus was recorded in meatpie. The high bacteria count and diversity of bacteria isolated from the food samples screened is of public health concern. The study underscores the need for intervention from bodies charged with the responsibility of maintaining public health to prevent potential outbreak of disease among consumers of these food products.