Microbial and Chemical Safety of Solid and Liquid Ngu Used in Umuahia General Market:- Arua, Cynthia N

ABSTRACT

 This work aimed to determine the mineral content of the solid and liquid ngu, evaluate the heavy metals in the solid and liquid ngu and to evaluate the microbial (total bacterial load count of liquid and solid ngu sold in Orie Ugba and Ubani market). The mineral and bacterial load of the samples were analysed. The result obtained showed that the sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium of the liquid and solid ngu samples ranged from 0.011- 0.015mg/100ml and 0.012- 0.016mg/l00g respectively, 0.21 - 0.26mg/l00ml and 0.21- 0.27mg/100g respectively, 10.77 - 11.04mg/100ml and 10.31- 13.77mg/100g respectively, 3.91- 4.94mg/l 00ml and 4.61 - 5.91mg/l00g respectively, 1.86 - 2.25mg/ 100ml and 1.99- 2.91mg/100g respectively and 24.10 - 29.45mg/1 00ml and 25.70 - 39.25mg/100g respectively. The result of the total bacterial load count showed that there was no load count in the solid samples, except in one ( l .6x I 0 5 ), while in the liquid samples, the load count ranged from O in most samples to 2.3x 10°. Organisms isolated from the samples include staphylococcus aureus, klebsiella spp and pseudomonas aureginosa.