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