Bacterial Quality Assessment Research Articles

Bacterial quality assessment of drinking water for layer chicken managed under battery cage and deep litter systems from Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

This study assessed the bacterial quality of drinking water for layer chicken managed under battery cage (BC) and deep litter (DL) systems in Sokoto Metropolis. A total of 18 samples were collected from the two systems. Serial dilution, spread plate innoculation, colony count, subculturing, gram staining and biochemical characterization were carried out according to standard methods .The mean count concentrations in BC (1.4×10 6 , 7.2×10 6 and 3.4×10 6 ) were relatively higher than those recorded in DL (1.57×10 7 ,4.52×10 7 , and 1.2×10 6 ) .The mean count (CFU/ml)for BC was 72.11111 and that of DL was 207.4444.The bacteria determined in BC were: : Bacillus species, Micrococcus varians , Corynebacterium xerosis and Lactobacillus fermenti ; whereas, those determined in DL were Micrococcus varians , Lactobacillus fermenti , E. coli , and Corynebacterium xerosis ; thus E.coli was only recorded in DC, but the rest were found in both BC and DL. In BC, the most frequent was Corynebacterium xerosis , then Micrococcus varians , and lastly Bacillus species and Lactobacillus fermenti ; whereas, in DL Corynebacterium xerosis was also most frequent, then Micrococcus varians ,then the rests. Thus, C. xerosis was the most overall prevalent, then Micrococcus varians , then the rests. This work depicted that water used in the BC and DL systems surveyed contains a higher and diverse concentration of bacteria .This portend of contamination and unsanitary outcome is capable of harming the health, production, and ultimately the public health. More water treatment innovative methods should be use, regular and proper cleaning of farm and drinkers are needed and farmers need to be educated. Keywords: water quality, Corynebacterium xerosis , Lactobacillus fermenti , S okoto metropolis , Bacillus species

Assessing the Hygienic Status of Processed Fresh Water Clam ( Galatea paradoxa ) in Yenagoa Metropolis, Bayelsa State, Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study was carried out to assess the sanitary quality of processed (fried) freshwater clam (Galatea paradoxa), sold in Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa State, Nigeria. “Water snail” as it is popularly called is vended by women and children. This delicacy is widely consumed in Yenagoa and its environs. Sixteen (16) Samples were collected randomly from four different hawkers within the Swali market in Yenagoa. Analysis included cultural techniques and bacterial quality assessment by enumeration of viable bacterial colonies using dilution techniques. The microbial analysis revealed Total Coliform Count of 7.33 × 106 ± 1.18 ×106 cfu\ml, Total Thermotolerant Count of 3.3 × 105 ± 0.05 × 105 cfu\ml, Total Heterotrophic Count (22°C) of 5.6 × 106 ± 2.02 × 106 cfu\ml and Total Heterotrophic Count (37°C) of 5.13 × 106 ± 0.55 × 106 cfu\ml. Thus, the Total Viable Count ranged from 3.3 ×105 ± 0.5 × 105cfu ml to 7.33× 106± 1.18 ×106. A routine biochemical test was carried out to confirm the presence of potential pathogenic bacteria. The pathogens isolated were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus epidermis, Enterobacter spp, Shigella spp, Proteus spp and Salmonella Paratyphi A. The presence of indicator organisms from faecal sources, environmental contamination and relatively potential bacteria could be attributed to poor hygienic practices during handling and processing of the clams and waste management practices within the point of sales. A good health education package needs to be given to vendors on good handling practice of vended foods.

Retention of shelf life and microbial quality of seer fish stored in modified atmosphere packaging and sodium acetate pretreatment

Abstract Preliminary shelf life tests were performed to select the best gas composition and the best sodium acetate concentrations in the modified atmosphere. Bacterial quality assessment was carried out by the monitoring of total aerobic bacteria, H 2 S producing bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, pseudomonads, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus , streptococci, sulphite reducing clostridia and botulinum toxin by mouse bioassay. Bacteria grew most quickly in seer fish stored in air, followed by those in MAP and the lowest counts were with MAP pre-treated with sodium acetate. The application of sodium acetate treatment to seer fish steaks resulted in a bacteriostatic effect, contributing to the improvement of the microbiological quality of seer fish steaks. There was less trimethylamine in the modified atmosphere packed samples pretreated with sodium acetate than in air packed samples by the factor of seven, at the end of the shelf life. Modified atmosphere packaging alone increased the shelf life from 8 (air pack) to 22 days; however, addition of sodium acetate further extended the shelf life to 28 days. The results showed that the combined effect of MAP (70 vol.% CO 2 :30 vol.% O 2 ) and sodium acetate (1%, w/v) is a valuable tool to allow an effective extension of the shelf life of raw fish products.