ABSTRACT

The occurrence of Staphylococcus aureus in meatpie and eggroll sold in Umuahia Metropolis was investigated. The samples were analysed by standard bacteriological methods. Total viable count of meat pie ranged from 1.2 x 10³ to 3.6 x10⁴ cfu/g. Total coliform count ranged from 1.8 x103to 4.2 x cfu/g and Staphylococcus count ranged from 1.0 x to 4.1 x 10³cfufg. Analysis of variance of the meat pie shows total viable count and Staphylococcus count were significant at 0.001 level. The total viable count for eggroll ranged from 3.4 x 10³to 3.8 x 10⁴ cfu/g. Total coliform count ranged from 1.7 x10³ to 2.3 x 1 Staphylococcus count ranged from 1.5 x 10³to 4.8 x 10³cfu/g. Analysis of the results shows that that the three parameters were all significant at 0.001 level. Post Hoc test shows mean difference been significant at 0.051eve1. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Staphylococcus arueus indicated various patterns. Some were resistant while some were sensitive to the antibiotics tested. In other to forstall outbreak of food poisoning, public health establishments should therefore enforce proper handling foods such as meat pie and eggroll and also proper hygiene should be practiced by production personnels and handlers of ready to eat foods.