Microbial Quality Of Already Prepared Fruit Salad Sold in Port-Harcourt Metropolis, Rivers State

ABSTRACT

 An analysis of the microbial quality of fruit salad sold in Port-Harcourt Metropolis was carried out in this research work. Fifteen samples of already prepared fruit salad was examined, six bacterial genera and four fungal genera were isolated and identified. The bacterial genera isolated were Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp, Alcaligenes spp. The fungal isolates were Aspergil/us spp, Penicillium spp, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Fusarium spp. The total . . bacterial count was in the range of 1.40 x 10 to 2.70 x 10° cfu/g with sample 12 showing the highest count and sample 1 showing the lowest count. The total faecal coliform count • I • I was in the range of 0.33 x 10 to 4.66 x 10° cfu/g. Bacillus spp, Staphycoccus aureus and Aspergillus spp had a 100% occurrence while Streptococcus spp had the lowest percentage of 26.67% among the bacteria and Fusarium, spp (53.33%) among the fungi. Proper sanitation practice and use of clean utensils are recommended in order to avoid risks associated with the consumption of fruits