ABSTRACT

Food poisoning and infection by bacterial and fungal genera pose obvious health threat to both animals and humans. The aim of this research was to evaluate bacterial contaminants associated with commercial poultry feeds sold in Ikot Ekpene main market. A total of three (3) commercially sold feed samples namely; Top feed, Vital feed and Guinea feed sold at Ikot Ekpene main market were used. Tenfold serial dilution was used as one (1) gram of each samples was homogenized in 9ml of distilled water, serially diluted and was cultured on MacConkey agar, Nutrient agar, Salmonella Shigella agar and Mannitol Salt agar using a pour plate method and incubated at 370C for 24 hours. After incubation several bacterial genera were observed which include Bacillus species, Staphyloccous aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species. The total viable count of bacterial isolates from poultry feed samples revealed that Top feeds show a range of 1.5 x 102 to 2.3 x 103 cfu/g, Vital Feed ranged from 1.3 x 102 to 4.5 x 103cfu/g  while Guinea feed ranged from 1.9 x 102 to 2.9 x 103cfu/g while the percentage occurrence of the isolates showed that Staphylococcus aureus  42% showed the highest percentage occurrence followed by  Escherichia coli (27%), Bacillus species (19%) while Salmonella species (12%) showed the lowest percentage occurrence of the bacterial isolates. The socio-economic and health implication of these findings are enormous. Economically, the presence of these bacterial and fungal genera has been reported to over whelmingly affect the viability of some animal husbandry undertaking and agriculture in general. With the high colonization of bacteria and fungi of public health concern in poultry feeds, good manufacturing practice, handling and retailing methods need to be improved to enhance the microbiological quality of these products.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgements iv

Table of Contents v

Lists of Tables viii

Abstract x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Aim of Study 5

1.1 Objectives 5

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review 6

2.1 Importance of Poultry Products for Human Consumption  7

2.2Importance of hygienic measurements  7

2.3Sources of Contamination 8

2.3.1Ingredient contamination 8

2.3.2 Storage (Temperature and Humidity) 9

2.3.3 Handling and Transportation. 9

2.4 Bacteria Contaminating Poultry Feeds 10

  2.4.1 Salmonella Contamination of Poultry Feed 11

2.4.2Escherichia Coli 12

2.4.3Klebsiella Species 12

2.4.4Proteus Species    13

2.4.5Bacillus Species  13

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Methods  15

3.1 Sample Collection  15

3.2 Media Used  15

3.3 Sterilization  15

3.4 Microbiological Analyses 15

3.5 Characterization and Identification of the Bacterial isolates  16

3.5.1 Gram Staining 16

3.5.2 Spore Staining 16

3.5.3 Motility 17

3.6 Biochemical Test for Identification of Bacterial Isolate 17

3.6.1 Catalase Test  17

3.6.2 Coagulase Test 17

3.6.3 Citrate Test. 17

3.6.4 Oxidase Test 18

3.6.5 Indole Test 18

3.6.6 Urease Test 18

3.6.7 Methyl Red Test 19

3.7 Sugar Fermentation Test 19

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0  Results 21

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0       Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation 26

5.1 Discussion 26

5.2 Conclusion 28

5.3 Recommendation 28

References