OCCURENCE OF PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS IN STREET VENDED SPICED GRILLED MEAT PRODUCT (SUYA) SOLD IN MAGBORO, OGUN STATE

Abstract

Street vended foods sold are sources of food readily available to people all over the world, and the microbial quality and safety of these foods is always uncertain. Street food is the main source of foodborne diseases in developing countries because it provides a source of cheap nutrients for most low-income groups. This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of Salmonella, Escherichia coli and Yeasts and moulds in street vended suya sold at Magboro area of Ofada/Mokoloki LCDA, Ogun state. The samples were cultured on Eosin methylene blue agar, Potato dextrose agar, Nutrient agar, Sorbitol-MacConkey Agar, MacConkey agar and Xylose lysine deoxycholoate agar. The highest count of pathogenic E. coli was 3.6 Log10 CFU/g while for Total viable count was 6.2 Log10 CFU/g. Salmonella was not detected in 25g of the food sample. This study has demonstrated that suya sample sold in Magboro market constitute a potential health hazard to consumers as a result of the pathogenic microorganisms isolated from the food that rendered them microbiologically unsafe and unacceptable. Hence, the need for monitoring of this nutrition products by educating processors and consumers on good sanitary practices during processing displaying and sale of the products and the possible danger of contaminated products.