Bacteriological assessment of kunu-zaki sold in selected communities in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Kunu-zaki is a fermented beverage sold in Nigeria; often prepared under unsafe conditions, predisposing it to pathogen contaminations. The bacteria associated with Kunu-zaki sold in the different area of Port Harcourt and an antibiogram of the pathogens was determined using standard methods involving nutrient agar, Salmonella-Shigella agar, Thiosulphate citrate bile salt sucrose agar, MacConkey agar, Mannitol salt agar, Eosin-Methylene blue agar and Mueller Hinton agar. The counts for kunu-zaki obtained from Choba, Mile 1, Rumuodara and Rumuokoro ranged from 2.87±0.11 to 5.39±0.19, 4.50±0.27 to 5.46±0.38, 4.02±0.54 to 5.96±0.27 and 4.24±1.13 to 5.94±0.22 log₁₀^cfu/ml, respectively. The confirmation of the isolates as: Staphylococcus spp. (27%), Lactobacillus spp. (20%), Streptococcus spp. (17%), Bacillus spp. (17%), E. coli (10%), and Shigella at (10%) was based on cultural and biochemical characteristics. The Gram-negative bacteria were 100% susceptible to pefloxacin, gentamycin, ciprofloxacin and tarivid while the Gram-positive bacteria isolates showed varying resistance to the antibiotics with Staphylococcus being the most susceptible. The occurrence of the antibiotic resistance isolates possess danger for potential consumers, hence the need to improve the production process.