ABSTRACT

Thirty (30) samples of chicken and beef suya varieties were aseptically collected from suya vendors at three different sale points in Umuahia Metroplis, Abia State. Studies on the microbiological quality of suya were carried out. The bacteria isolates included: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella sp. Shigella sp. Streptococcus sp. and Klebsiella sp. while fungi isolates included: Aspergillus niger, Candida sp. and Penicillum. Samples (Bacteria load) from City Centre for all the chicken and beef suya produced 9.5 x 106cfu/g to 2.6 x 106cfu/g, those from Bank Road gave a range of 8.8 x 106cfu/g to 2.4 x 106cfu/g and those from World Bank gave a range of 8.5 x 106 to 2.8 x 106cfu/g. Samples (Fungi load) from City Centre for all the chicken and beef suya produced 4.6 x 102cfu/g to 2.3 x 102cfu/g, those from Bank Road gave a range of 4.0 x 102cfu/g to 2.3 x 102cfu/g and World Bank gave a range of 5.3 x 102cfu/g to 2.3 x 102cfu/g. These findings suggest that most of ready to eat foods sold by roadside vendors may constitute sources of microbial food poisoning, consequently, public health hazards. The need for improvement and maintenance of food hygienic practices by food handlers and vendors is emphasized

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Certification i

Dedication ii

Acknowledgements iii

Tables of Contents iv

List of Tables vi

Abstract vii

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.2 Aims and Objectives 2

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 3

2.1 Meat Spoilage 4

2.2 General Forms of Meat Spoilage 4

2.2.1 Spoilage under Aerobic Condition 4

2.2.2 Spoilage under Anaerobic Conditions 4

2.3   Preservation Of Meat 5

2.4   Use of Low Temperature 5

2.4.1 Use of High Temperature 5

2.4.2 Dehydration method 6

2.4.3 Use of radiation 6

2.4.4 Preservatives 6

2.5   Common Forms of Meat Spoilage 7

2.6 Factors Affecting Microbial Growth on Meat 7

2.7 Contamination of Ready to eat Foods 11

2.8 Sources of Suya Contamination 11

2.9 Health Hazards of Suya Meat 12

2.10 Ways to Reduce the Health Hazards 13

2.11 Personal Hygiene 14

2.12 Food Control Systems 14

2.13 Suya Preparation 15

2.14 Types of Suya 15

2.14.1 Tsire Suya 15

2.14.2 Kilishi 15

CHAPTER THREE

MATERIALS AND METHOD 16

3.0 Study Area 16

3.1 Sample Collection 16

3.2 Media Preparation 16

3.3 Microbiological Analyses 17

3.3.1  Isolation of Microbial Isolates 17

3.4 Characterization and Identification of Isolates 17

3.4.1 Gram Staining 18

3.4.2 Spore Staining 18

3.4.3 Motility Test 18

3.5 Biochemical Test 18

3.5.1 Catalase Test 18

3.5.2 Citrate Utilize Test 19

3.5.3 Coagulate Test 19

3.5.4 Oxidase Test 19

3.5.5 Indole Test 20

3.5.6 Methyl red [MR] Test 20

3.5.7 VogesProkaeur Test 20

3.5.8 Sugar Fermentation Test 20

3.6 Fungal Characterization 21

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 RESULTS 22

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION 31

5.1 Discussion 31

5.2 Summary and Conclusion 36

5.3 Contribution to Knowledge 37

5.4 Recommendation 37

References 38

Appendix  

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

1: Microbial Load of Chicken Suya Meat Sold in Umuahia Metropolis 25

2: Microbial Load of Beef Suya Meat Sold in Umuahia Metropolis 26

3: Percentage Occurrence of Bacteria Isolated from Chicken and 

Beef Suya Sold in Umuahia Metropolis 27

4: Percentage Occurrence of Fungi Isolated from Chicken and Beef 

Suya Sold in Umuahia Metropolis 28

5: Colonial Characteristics of Fungi Species 29

6: Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics of Bacterial Isolates 30