Bacterial Contaminants Of Commercial Poultry Feeds Sold In Ikot Ekpene Main Market

ABSTRACT

Food poisoning and infection by bacterial and fungal genera pose obvious health threat to both animals and humans. The aim of this research was to evaluate bacterial contaminants associated with commercial poultry feeds sold in Ikot Ekpene main market. A total of three (3) commercially sold feed samples namely; Top feed, Vital feed and Guinea feed sold at Ikot Ekpene main market were used. Tenfold serial dilution was used as one (1) gram of each samples was homogenized in 9ml of distilled water, serially diluted and was cultured on MacConkey agar, Nutrient agar, Salmonella Shigella agar and Mannitol Salt agar using a pour plate method and incubated at 370C for 24 hours. After incubation several bacterial genera were observed which include Bacillus species, Staphyloccous aureus, Escherichia coli and Salmonella species. The total viable count of bacterial isolates from poultry feed samples revealed that Top feeds show a range of 1.5 x 102 to 2.3 x 103 cfu/g, Vital Feed ranged from 1.3 x 102 to 4.5 x 103cfu/g  while Guinea feed ranged from 1.9 x 102 to 2.9 x 103cfu/g while the percentage occurrence of the isolates showed that Staphylococcus aureus  42% showed the highest percentage occurrence followed by  Escherichia coli (27%), Bacillus species (19%) while Salmonella species (12%) showed the lowest percentage occurrence of the bacterial isolates. The socio-economic and health implication of these findings are enormous. Economically, the presence of these bacterial and fungal genera has been reported to over whelmingly affect the viability of some animal husbandry undertaking and agriculture in general. With the high colonization of bacteria and fungi of public health concern in poultry feeds, good manufacturing practice, handling and retailing methods need to be improved to enhance the microbiological quality of these products.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii

Dedication ﾿ iii

Acknowledgements ﾿ iv

Table of Contents ﾿ v

Lists of Tables ﾿ viii

Abstract ﾿ x

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction ﾿ 1

1.1 Aim of Study ﾿ 5

1.1 Objectives ﾿ 5

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review ﾿ 6

2.1 Importance of Poultry Products for Human Consumption  ﾿ 7

2.2Importance of hygienic measurements  ﾿ 7

2.3Sources of Contamination ﾿ 8

2.3.1Ingredient contamination ﾿ 8

2.3.2 Storage (Temperature and Humidity) ﾿ 9

2.3.3 Handling and Transportation. ﾿ 9

2.4 Bacteria Contaminating Poultry Feeds ﾿ 10

  2.4.1 Salmonella Contamination of Poultry Feed ﾿ 11

2.4.2Escherichia Coli ﾿ 12

2.4.3Klebsiella Species ﾿ 12

2.4.4Proteus Species    ﾿ 13

2.4.5Bacillus Species  ﾿ 13

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and Methods  ﾿ 15

3.1 Sample Collection  ﾿ 15

3.2 Media Used  ﾿ 15

3.3 Sterilization  ﾿ 15 ﾿

3.4 Microbiological Analyses ﾿ 15

3.5 Characterization and Identification of the Bacterial isolates  ﾿ 16

3.5.1 Gram Staining ﾿ 16

3.5.2 Spore Staining ﾿ 16

3.5.3 Motility ﾿ 17

3.6 Biochemical Test for Identification of Bacterial Isolate ﾿ 17

3.6.1 Catalase Test  ﾿ 17

3.6.2 Coagulase Test ﾿ 17

3.6.3 Citrate Test. ﾿ 17

3.6.4 Oxidase Test ﾿ 18

3.6.5 Indole Test ﾿ 18

3.6.6 Urease Test ﾿ 18

3.6.7 Methyl Red Test ﾿ 19

3.7 Sugar Fermentation Test ﾿ 19

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0  ﾿ Results ﾿ 21 ﾿

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0       Discussion, Conclusion and Recommendation ﾿ 26 ﾿

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 26

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion ﾿ 28

5.3 ﾿ Recommendation ﾿ 28

References ﾿