Evaluation of Microbial Load of Some Foods Rehandled and Repackaged in Open Markets in Diobu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Evaluation of some packaged food sold in open markets in Port Harcourt was carried out to determine microbial load on the food due to re-handling and re-packaging practices embarked by retailers. Samples of re-packaged sugar, bread, and groundnuts were purchased from retailers and taken to the laboratory for microbial analysis. Analysis involved standard microbiological procedures. Results obtained showed that re-packaged bread had amicrobial load of 1.1 x 10 5 cfu/g, while sugar and groundnuts had 2.3x10 4 cfu/g, and 4.4 x10 4 cfu/g respectively.The bacterial counts of Escherichia coli (9.0 x 10 3 cfu/g) and Staphylococcus aureus (4.8 x 10 3 cfu/g) obtained were significantly different (P<0.05). While the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) bacteria in the food samples for bread, sugar, and groundnuts were 6.9 x 10 4 cfu/g, 5 x 10 3 cfu/g, and 2.8 x10 4 cfu/g respectively, showing a significant difference at P<0.05. However, heterotrophic fungi showed count of 2 x 10 3 cfu/g for bread, 3x10 3 cfu/g counts for cube of sugar samples and, 8 x 10 3 cfu/g counts for roasted groundnut (P>0.05). Notable microbes isolated and identified were Escherichia, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Proteus and Aspergillus. The microbial load of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus counts in the food samples were at acceptable levels. Bread was the most contaminated food sample re-handled and re-packaged in the market space with higher load of microbes. Hence, re-handling and re-packaging of bread should be discouraged and if practiced, should be done hygienically.