ABSTRACT

Fish feeds are constantly in contact with environmental organisms and become readily colonized

by various mibrobial species. This study evaluated the microbiological quality of commercial

fish feeds solei within Umuahia metropolis. Two (2) different feed Samples (Eco and Table

feeds) were cdllected for this work using sterile plastic containers. The samples were labelled

and taken to the laboratory for microbiological analysis. From this study a total of six (6)

bacteria strains and six (6) fungal species were obtained and identified using morphological

characteristics, pigmentation on media, microscopy, biochemical and sugar fermentation

methods. This revealed the major bacterial isolates to belong to Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus

spp. Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus spp and Bacillus sp

respectively, whereas the fungal isolates belongs to Rhizopus sp, Aspergillus spp, Penicillium

spp. Mucor spp. Candida spp and Fusarium spp. From the findings in this study, it was observed

that Staphylococcus aureus had the highest occurrence of 100% while Escherichia coli and

Streptococcus spp had the least occurrence of 25% each. Bacillus spp (75%) and Lactobacillus

spp (65%). both recorded high prevalence while Pseudomonas spp (45%) showed a moderate

occurrence. The percentage occurrence of the fungal isolates indicated yeast and Aspergillus spp

were the predominant isolates with occurrences of 90% and 85% respectively. The prevalence of

Mucor spp was very low with mean total occurrence of 5% while that of Fusarium spp was 25%.

The mean percentage occurrence of Rhizopus spp was 35% while Penicillium spp recorded an

average of 45% occurrence. From the obtained results, it was concluded that the microbiological

quality of the fish feeds is poor as the feeds harbored many different bacterial and fungal species

at varying levels of occurrences. The high levels of occurrences of diverse species of bacteria

and fungi in the fish feeds was considered to confer potentials of possible infections arising from

consumption ojf the feeds as well as intoxications which may be passed on to human consumers

along the food chain. It was therefore recommended, based on the findings in this work, that

there is need for improvement on the quality of fish feed used in Umuahia.