MICROBIAL QUALITY OF READY-TO-EAT AFRICAN SALAD

ABSTRACT

 The microbiological quality of African salad a special salad recipe native to Nigeria was investigated in order to provide the microbial quality of this exotic delicacy. Samples of salad were purchased from five food vending sites which serve as the major business and residential area in Ikwuano L.G.A Umuahia. The predominant bacterial isolates from African salad belong to Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus spp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp and Serratia spp. The fungal isolate included Fusarium spp, Rhizopus spp, Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. The mean total viable plate count ranged from 2.73x107 to 9.63x107, coliform count range from 2.81x105 to 8.15x106 and fungal count range from 1.97x106 to 6.4x107. In conclusion, the microbial quality of ready-to-eat African salad is based mainly on the hygiene level of the food vendors preparing it.  

Table of contents

Title page ﾿ i

Declaration                                                                                                                 ii

Certification ﾿ iii

Acknowledgment ﾿ v

Table of Content ﾿ vi

List of table ﾿ vii ﾿

Abstract ﾿ viii

CHAPTER 1

1.0 Introduction ﾿ 1

1.1Aims And Objectives ﾿ 2

CHAPTER 2

1.2 Literature Review ﾿ 3

1.3 Ingredients for African Salads ﾿ 5

1.4 Nutritional benefits of African salad ﾿ 7

1.5 Health risks associated with eating abacha ﾿ 8

CHAPTER 3

3.0 Materials and methods ﾿ 10

3.1 Sample collection ﾿ 10

3.2 Sites of collection ﾿ 10

3.3 Sterilization of glass wares ﾿ 10

3.4 Microbiological analysis ﾿ 10

3.5 Procedure ﾿ 11

3.5.1 Serial dilution ﾿ 11 ﾿

3.5.2 Inoculation ﾿ 12

3.5.3 Incubation ﾿ 12

3.5.4 Colony counting ﾿ 12

3.5.5 Isolation of pure culture ﾿ ﾿ 12

3.6 Identification of bacteria isolates ﾿ 12

3.6.1 Macroscopic examination ﾿ 12

3.6.2 Microscopic examination ﾿ 13

3.6.3 Gram staining ﾿ 13

3.7 Biochemical test ﾿ 13

3.7.1 Indole test ﾿ 13

3.7.2 catalase test ﾿ 14

3.7.3 Coagulase test ﾿ 14

3.7.4 Oxidase test ﾿ 14

4.0 CHAPTER 4 

4.1 Result ﾿ 16

5.0 CHAPTER 5

5.1 DISCUSSION ﾿ 21

5.2 Conclusion ﾿ 22

References ﾿ 22

LIST OF TABLES

Table ﾿ Title ﾿    Page

1                     Total viable count in ready-to-eat African salad ﾿       16

 2              Biochemical and microscopic characterization of bacterial isolates             17

3                  Characterization of fungal isolates                                                              18