PREVALENCE OF SALMONELLA SPP AND ESCHERICHIA COLI IN FRESH-CUT FRUITS SOLD IN THE OPEN MARKET IN OFADA MOKOLOKI LCDA, OGUN STATE.

Abstract

Fruits form an essential part of human diet as they are a major source of dietary nutrients of great importance. Consumers demand for fresh, safe, nutritious and inexpensive products. Many seek the opportunity of buying ready to eat fruits and vegetables. Consumption of fresh cut fruits from the local marketplace poses a potential risk of foodborne infection due to microbial contamination. Pathogens may contaminate the fruits during washing, peeling, slicing, trimming, packaging and handling. This study aimed at detecting the presence of E. coli and Salmonella in the fresh cut fruits sold in the market area in Ofada/Mokoloki Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ogun State, Nigeria. Samples were randomly collected from the open market area. Subsequently, the samples were screened for Salmonella spp and pathogenic E. coli including Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) using selective agar media and enrichment procedures. isolated pathogens were subjected to 16S PCR based protocols to detect the presence suspected Salmonella spp and STEC. The occurrence of E. coli and Salmonella contamination in the fresh cut fruits sold in the market area in Ofada/Mokoloki Local Council Development Area (LCDA), highlights the potential health risk of the consumers. There is a need for community awareness programs advocating adoption of good hygiene-based handing and market procedures to prevent any major outbreak associated with contaminated fresh cut fruits.