COMPARISM OF MICROBIAL QUALITY OF LEAF AND POLYTHENE WRAPPED UGBA (PENTACLETHRA MACROPHYLA)

ABSTRACT

The microbial quality of leaf and polythene wrapped ugba samples obtained from Umuahia was compared in this study. Ten (10) samples; Six (6) wrapped in fresh leaves labelled LW 1-6 and four (4) samples wrapped in polythene bags labelled NW 1-4 were analyzed. Pour plate technique was used for colony count and enumeration while streak plate method was used for isolation of pure colonies. Seven (7) bacterial general were isolated from the leaf wrapped ugba sample while the seven (7) bacterial general were isolated from the polythene wrapped samples (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus spp, Salmonella spp, Shigella spp, Proteus spp and Enterococcus spp). The total plate count ranged from 1.08 x 107 CFU/g to 9.80 x 107 CFU/g. The shigella spp had the highest occurrence (70%) while Enterococcus spp and Proteus spp had the lowest percentage occurrence (30%). This study reveals the diversity and microbial load in ugba wrapped with two different materials and shows that some organisms were isolated despite the difference in wrapping materials.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of contents ﾿ v

List of Tables ﾿ vii

List of figures ﾿ viii

Abstract ﾿ ix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION ﾿ 1

1.2 ﾿ Aim and Objectives ﾿ 3

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 ﾿ Fermentation ﾿ 4

2.1.1 ﾿ Classification of fermented foods ﾿ 4

2.1.2 ﾿ Benefits of fermenting food ﾿ 6

2.1.3 ﾿ Microbial flora in fermented foods ﾿ 7

2.1.4 ﾿ Nutritional value of fermented foods ﾿ 8

2.2 ﾿ Ugba ﾿ 9

2.2.1 ﾿ Ugba fermentation ﾿ 15

2.2.2 ﾿ Preparation of ugba ﾿ 15

CHAPTER 3

MATERIALS AND METHOD

3.1 ﾿ Study Area ﾿ 19

3.2 ﾿ Collection of Samples ﾿ 19

3.3 ﾿ Sterilization of materials and preparation of culture media ﾿ 19

3.4 ﾿ Sample Preparation ﾿ 20

3.5 ﾿ Inoculation of Samples ﾿ 20

3.6 ﾿ Isolation of pure culture ﾿ 20

3.7 ﾿ Motility test ﾿ 20

3.8 ﾿ Gram staining ﾿ 21

3.9 ﾿ Biochemical Characterizations ﾿ 21

3.9.1 ﾿ Coagulase test ﾿ 21

3.9.2 ﾿ Catalase test ﾿ 22

3.9.3 ﾿ Oxidase test ﾿ 22

3.9.4 ﾿ Indole test ﾿ 23

3.9.5 ﾿ Methyl red test ﾿ 23

3.9.6 ﾿ Voges-Proskauer test ﾿ 23

3.9.7 ﾿ Citrate test ﾿ 24

3.9.8 ﾿ Triple sugar iron test ﾿ 24

CHAPTER 4

RESULTS

4.1 Results ﾿ 25

CHAPTER 5

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 29

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 30

5.3 ﾿ Recommendation ﾿ 31

REFERENCES ﾿ 33

﾿ LIST OF TABLES ﾿

Table ﾿ Title ﾿ Page 

2.1 ﾿ Different classification of fermented foods. ﾿ 5

2.2 ﾿ Other Classifications of Fermented Foods. ﾿ 6

2.3 ﾿ The benefits of food fermentation ﾿ 6

4.1 ﾿ Total plate count of the polythene and leaf wrapped ugba samples ﾿ 26

4.2 ﾿ Characterization and identification of bacteria isolated from Ugba samples ﾿ 27

4.3 ﾿ Percentage occurrence of bacteria isolated from Ugba ﾿ 28

﾿ LIST OF FiGURES ﾿

Figure ﾿ Title ﾿ Page 

2.1 ﾿ (A) African oil bean seed (B) Dehulled seeds (C) processed slices of the seeds ﾿ 9

2.2 ﾿ Flow chart for the preparation of ugba ﾿ 18