Microbiological Quality Of Ready-To-Eat Prepackaged African Salad:- Odim, Amarachi F

ABSTRACT viii African salad is an exotic delicacy and a special salad recipe native to Nigeria and it is popularly called Abacha, Abacha Ncha, Abacha and Ugba by the Igbo tribe ofNigeria. This present study isolated microorganisms, determined its microbial load and the percentage ofoccurrence ofreadyto-eat prepackaged African salad from Umuahia Metropolis. Six (6) samples of ready-to-eat African Salad (Abacha) were purchased from three different local markets in Umuahia (Orie Ugba, Isi Gate and Gate six). The samples were collected in a sterile polythene bag and then transported to the laboratory for analysis. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Coagulate negative Staphylococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Shigella species and Lactobacillus species were all isolated with a mean average heterotrophic plate count, total staphylococcus, total Latic acid bacterial plate count plate count and total fungal count of 1.45 x 105 to 4.60 x 105, 2.5 x 103 to 4.22 x 106,3.49 x 106to 5.48 x 106,55 x 10510 2.94 x 106respectively. The isolated fungi include Aspergillus niger, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus Stolonizer respectively; these were identified based on their cultural characteristic and microscopic morphology. The samples gotten from Orieugba market recorded highest number of positive microbial isolate of(11), followed by Isi gate and Gate six market each with (8) number ofpositive microbial isolate respectively. Predominant microbial isolates were Klebsiella pneumonia with 5 (18.6%) followed by Escherichia coli with 4 positive isolate (14.8%) and Shigella species, Saccharomyces Cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger recorded 3 positive isolate each (11.1%) respectively. Bacillus subtilis and Rhizopus stolonifer were recorded the least positive isolate and percentage occurrence of 1 (3.7%) respectively. We can also infer that consumers will shy away from their increased patronage of ready-to-eat African salad if they discover the health implications associated with the consumption ofthis food irrespective ofthe price it is sold for.