ABSTRACT

The Microbial quality of fried rice sold in fast food centers in Umuahia was examined. Twenty-Five fried rice samples each was obtained from 5 randomly selected fast food centers. To ensure confidentiality, the five fast food centers were denoted with alphabet A, B, C, D, and E. The total viable count and coliform counts of the various fried rice sample from different fast food centers were determined. The total viable count ranged from 3.2x104 CFU/g to 4.48x104 CFU/g with the highest incidence seen in fried rice sample sold in collection point C. Bacteria pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, Shigella spp, Bacillus cereus,    Proteus spp, Pseudomonas spp and Fungi species such as Aspergillus spp and Fusarium spp were isolated from the fried rice samples and identified using their morphological, biochemical characteristics and their pattern of growth in the fried rice samples. These result indicated that the microbial quality of fried rice sold in fast food centers in Umuahia is tolerable but requires immediate action to ensure an acceptable level of microbial quality. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATION II

DEDICATION III

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS V

LIST OF TABLES IX

ABSTRACT X

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Aim and Objectives 2

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review 3

2.1    Microbial contaminations of prepared foods Sold at fast food centers 3

2.1.2    Salmonella species 4

2.1.3 Shigella species 6

 2.1.4 Staphylococcus aureus 7

2.1.5 Bacillus cereus 8

2.1.6 Escherichia coli 9

2.1.6 Aspergillus species 10

2.2    Food Spoilage and Presentation 11

2.2.1 Low temperature storage 11

2.2.2    High temperature storage 12

2.2.3 Water availability 12

2.3 Safety of Prepared Foods Sold In Fast Food Centers 12

2.3.1    Personal hygiene 13

 2.3.2 Source of food contamination 13

2.3.3    Food control System 14

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Methods 15

3.1 Study area 15

3.2 Food sample collection    15

3.3 Media preparation 15

1.4. Microbial Analysis 16

3.5.0 Enumeration of Microbial Population 16

3.5.1 Total viable Aerobic counts 17

3.5.2 Enumeration of Coliform 17

3.5.      Enumeration of Salmonella and Shigella species 17

3.6.      Morphological and Colony Identification 17

3.6.1 Gram staining 18

3.6.2 Motility test (stab method) 18

3.7 Biochemical Test 19

3.7.1 Catalase test 19

3.7.2 Coagulase test 19

3.7.3    Oxidase test 20

3.7.4  Indole test 20

3.7.5  Citrate Test 20

 3.7.6   Sugar fermentation test 21

3.7.7 Lactophenol cotton blue stain for fungal isolates 21

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0       Results 22

4.1       Characterization and identification 22

4.2       Microbial counts 23

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion 31

5.1      Summary and Conclusion 33

5.2 Contribution to Knowledge 33

5.3 Recommendation 34

5.4    Suggestion for Further Studies 34

REFERENCES                                                                                                                      40