BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF SELECTED SLICED FRUITS SOLD IN UMUAHIA METROPOLIS

Abstract

Fresh cut fruits processed by peeling, slicing or trimming with or without further processing or cooking before consumption are often contaminated with Microorganisms. Fresh cut fruits collected from different stationary vendors and hawkers in Umuahia metropolis were analyzed to determine their bacteriological safety. The fruit samples were analyzed using MacConkey agar, blood agar and nutrient agar, by streaking method, the agar plates were inoculated with dilutions of 10-2, 10-5 and the original sample. All samples were contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria count ranged from 3.0×103 cfu/g _4.1×105 cfu/g for cut watermelon, 1.0×105 cfu/g _5.0×102 cfu/g for cut pawpaw and 1.0×104 cfu/g _8.0×103 cfu/g for cut pineapples. The bacteria isolates were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Proteus species, Klebsiella species and Streptococcus species. The results obtained suggest that fresh cut fruits sold in Umuahia are often contaminated with bacteria.

Table of contents

Title page                                                                                                            i        

Certification                                                                                                                           ii

Dedication                                                                                                                               iii

Acknowledgement                                                                                                                  iv

List of Tables                                                                                                                          v

Abstract                                                                                                                                  vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       Introduction                                                                                                               1

1.1       Aim and Objectives                                                                                                    2

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1       Processed Fresh Fruits                                                                                               3

2.2       Nutritional Value of Fruits                                                                                         4

2.2.1    The Uses of Fruits                                                                                                      4

2.3       Recent Trends in Disease Outbreak Due to Consumption of Contaminated

            Ready-To-Eat Fruits                                                                                                   5

2.4       Sources of Fruits Contamination                                                                                6

2.5       Factors that Enhance Microbial load in Some Sliced Fruits                                      7

2.5.1    Intrinsic Factors                                                                                                          7

2.5.2    Extrinsic Factors                                                                                                         8

2.6       Food Borne Diseases                                                                                                  9

2.6.1    Staphylococcal Food Borne Infections                                                                      10       

2.6.2    Cholera                                                                                                                       10

2.6.3    Botulism                                                                                                                     10

2.6.4    Listeriosis                                                                                                                   11

2.6.5    Escherichia Coli 0157 and other Related Enterotoxigenic Producing

Escherichia coli Infections                                                                                         12

2.6.6    Bacillus spp Related Infections                                                                                  12

2.6.7    Shigellosis                                                                                                                  13

2.6.8    Campylobacter spp Related Food-borne Infections                                                   13

2.7       Benefits Associated with Some Sliced Fruits                                                             14

2.8       Safety Regulations for the Growing, Preparation and Storage of fruits.               15

CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1       Study Area and Sample Collection.                                                                           16

3.2       Sample Collection                                                                                                      16

3.3       Materials Used                                                                                                            16

3.3.1    Media                                                                                                                         16

3.3.2    Laboratory Equipments                                                                                              16

3.4       Media Preparation                                                                                                      16

3.5       Methods                                                                                                                      17

3.5.1     Streak Plate Procedure                                                                                              17

3.5.2     Determination of Total Bacteria Counts.                                                                  17

3.5.3     Purification of Isolates                                                                                              17

3.6       Characterization and Identification of Bacterial Isolates                                           18

3.7       Gram Stain                                                                                                                  18

3.8       Biochemical Test                                                                                                        18

3.8.1    Catalase Test                                                                                                               19

3.8.2    Coagulase Test                                                                                                           19

3.8.3   Citrate Test                                                                                                                  19

3.8.4     Motility, Indole, Urease Test (MIU)                                                                         20

3.8.5    Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) Test                                                                                       20

3.8.6   Oxidase test                                                                                                                 21

Chapter four

4.0         Result                                                                                                                        22

CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1       Discussion                                                                                                                   31

5.2       Conclusion                                                                                                                  33

5.3       Recommendation                                                                                                       33

REFERENCES

LIST OF TABLES

   4.1         Sources of fruits used in the study                                                                        23                           

   4.2         Characteristics of the isolates                                                                                24

   4.3         Biochemical characteristics of the isolates                                                           25

   4.4         Total bacteria isolate from fruits                                                                           26

  4.5          Bacterial load of isolates from watermelon                                                              27

  4.6          Bacterial load of isolates from pawpaw                                                         27

   4.7         Bacterial load of isolates from pineapple                                                                 28

    4.8        Distribution of bacterial isolates in fruit samples                                                  29

   4.9         Viable counts of bacteria in pawpaw                                                                    30

   4.10       Viable counts of bacteria in watermelon                                                   30

   4.11       Viable counts of bacteria in pineapple                                                                  30

                                                  CHAPTER ONE

1.0    INTRODUCTION

Fruits and vegetables are important dietary of vitamins, minerals, fiber and other natural substances. Consumption of fresh fruits and their juices provides potential health benefits to the general population (Mahfuza et al., 2016).

 A perfect nutrition full of fruits and vegetables reduce risk of some chronic diseases. Well balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetable should be taken to prevent vitamin deficiencies, developing blood lipid profile and detoxification of human body (Kalia and Gupta, 2006; Deanna and Jeffrey, 2007). Eating sufficient amount of vegetables, fruits and fruit juices also control blood pressure, lower the risk of heart diseases, reduces blood cholesterol levels and avoid some kinds of cancer (Mahfuza et al., 2016).

Sliced vended fruits and fruit juice are ready to eat food that can be bought directly from vendors or hawkers in streets and other similar public places and eaten immediately without necessarily having to cut, peel or rinse them as they have already been prepared by the vendors (Mahfuza et al., 2016). In developing countries, street or market fruits provide nutrients to most of the low and middle income people. Recently, there has been a significant increase in the consumption of fresh cut fruits because they are easily accessible, convenient and cheaper than the whole fruits. In Nigeria, fresh cut fruit particularly, watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), pawpaw (Carica papaya) and pineapple (Ananas cosmosus) are common street vended items. Such fruits can be contaminated by bacterial pathogens through wounded surfaces, as punctures, cuts and splits that occur during drowing or harvesting (Durgesh et al., 2008).

Contamination of sliced vended fruits are by unhygienic processing, using of dirty utensils and washing with contaminated water. Moreover, the open display of these fruits encourages sporadic visit by flies and direct contact with dust. A vast amount of Microorganisms including pathogens contain in fruits (Mahfuza et al., 2016). According to World Health Organization (WHO) the exact scenario of food borne disease caused by contaminated food is 300 to 350 times higher than reported cases (Hetzel et al., 2004).

The contaminated pre_cut fresh fruits may cause serious food borne diseases. More than 250 types of microbes are responsible for different food borne illnesses (Tambekar et al., 2008). The most common pathogens are vibrio cholerae, salmonella typhi and Bacillus cereus which cause several diseases such as food poisoning, diarrhoea,typhoid, dysentery etc. In addition, Escherichia coli and salmonella are enteric pathogens and are causal agents for the maximum food related diseases (Buck et al., 2003).

Quality of sliced fruits should be maintained strictly. In developed countries, there are some laws to regulate the quality of sliced vended fruits. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, hawkers or market vendors are not concerned about the food security and cleanliness of hawked fruits because of absence of law enforcement against selling of unhygienic foods. This is why some diseases are conveyed to human through infected fresh cut fruits.

1.1 AIM

The aim of this research study is to evaluate the level of bacterial contamination of some sliced fruits commonly sold in the streets of Umuahia.

1.2       Objective

To isolate and identify bacterial organisms associated with fresh cut fruits sold in Umuahia. 

To determine the bacterial load of the fruits.

Buyers has the right to create dispute within seven (7) days of purchase for 100% refund request when you experience issue with the file received. 

Dispute can only be created when you receive a corrupt file, a wrong file or irregularities in the table of contents and content of the file you received. 

ProjectShelve.com shall either provide the appropriate file within 48hrs or send refund excluding your bank transaction charges. Term and Conditions are applied.

Buyers are expected to confirm that the material you are paying for is available on our website ProjectShelve.com and you have selected the right material, you have also gone through the preliminary pages and it interests you before payment. DO NOT MAKE BANK PAYMENT IF YOUR TOPIC IS NOT ON THE WEBSITE.

In case of payment for a material not available on ProjectShelve.com, the management of ProjectShelve.com has the right to keep your money until you send a topic that is available on our website within 48 hours.

You cannot change topic after receiving material of the topic you ordered and paid for.