ABSTRACT
This study evaluated microbiologically the quality of fufu sold in Umuahia metropolis of which a total of ten (10) fufu samples were collected from five different markets namely; Gate 6 Market, Ahieke Market, Nndoru Market, Orpet market and Orieugba Market for the purpose of the work. A total of nineteen (19) bacterial strains and 9 fungal isolates were obtained and identified using morphological characteristics, pigmentation on media, microscopy, biochemical and sugar fermentation methods. This reveals the major bacterial isolates to belong to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aurues, Bacillus species and Lactobacillus species respectively whereas the fungal isolates belongs to Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. The total viable microbial counts evaluated in this study showed that amongst the five (5) different locations investigated on the quality of fufu samples however, within Umuahia metropolis, Orieugba had the highest bacterial plate count at 2.9x105, followed by Gate six (2.2x105), then Orpet (1.9 x105) while the least bacterial plate count was recorded at Ahieke (1.8x105) in that order. The total coliform plate count investigated revealed that Ahiaeke had the highest coliform plate count at (3.5 x105) while Orieugba had the least total coliform plate count of (2.3 x105). The total fungal plate count investigated, reveals Ahiaeke Market as having the highest fungi count at (2.7 x105), while Orpet has the least total fungi count at 1.5x105. The percentage occurrence of bacterial and fungal isolates accessed on the fufu samples revealed that Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently occurring isolates with a high percentage occurrence of (28.6%) followed by Bacillus sp with a percentage occurrence of (21.4%), then Aspergillus niger (17.9%), Penicillium sp (14.3%), Lactobacillus sp (10.7%) whereas Escherichia coli has the least percentage occurrence of (7.1%). The presence of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus species and Lactobacillus species, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp in the fufu sold within Umuahia indicates a serious public health implications. It is recommended that regular microbiological quality control programs and education of the food handlers/ food vendors on food safety practices should be encouraged. Strict supervision of ready-to-eat fufu sold to the general public should be properly investigated by the relevant authorities to prevent epidermics of food borne illness within the study area.
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
Title
Page i
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgement v
Table
of Contents vi
List
of Tables ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER
ONE
1.0 Introduction 1
1.1 Aim
and Objectives 3
CHAPTER
TWO
•
Literature Review 5
2.1 Quality
of Cassava Fufu Sold In Abakaliki Metropolis 5
2.2 Microbiological
Quality of Commercially Ready-To-Eat Fufu Sold In
Benin City, Nigeria 6
2.3 Fufu 9
2.4 Foodborne
Bacterial Pathogens 11
2.4.1 Salmonella 11
2.4.2 Staphylococcus aureus 12
2.4.3 Clostridium botulinum 12
2.4.4 Shigella 13
CHAPTER
THREE
3.0 Materials
and Methods 14
3.1 Study
Area 14
3.2 Materials
and Reagents 14
3.3 Collection
of Samples 14
3.4 Sterilization
of Materials 15
3.5 Preparation
of Culture Media 15
3.6 Inoculation
and Isolation 15
3.7 Purification
of Isolates 16
3.8 Identification
of the Isolates 16
3.9 Gram
Staining 16
3.10 Biochemical
Test 17
3.10.1 Catalase Test 17
3.10.2 Indole Test 17
3.10.3 Citrate Utilization Test 17
3.10.4 Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) Production Test 18
3.10.5 Starch Hydrolysis 18
3.10.6 Motility, Indole, Urease (MIU) 18
3.10.7 Coagulase Test 19
3.10.8 Oxidase Test 19
3.11 Identification
of Fungal Isolates 20
3.11.1 Colonial Morphology 20
3.11.2 Yeast Viability Staining 20
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results
4.1 Total
Viable Mean Counts from selected fufu samples
4.2 Morphological identification, Biochemical
Identification, Gram Reaction and
Sugar Utilization Profile of bacterial isolates from the
fufu samples
4.3 Cultural Morphology and Microscopic
Characteristics Fungal Isolates from the
Selected fufu Samples
4.4 Percentage
occurrence of bacterial and fungal isolates from fufu samples
4.5 Distribution
of Bacterial and Fungal Isolates from the fufu Samples
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Discussion
and Conclusion
5.1 Discussion
5.2 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendation
LIST OF
TABLES
|
TABLE
|
TITLE
|
PAGE
|
|
4.1
|
Total Viable Mean Counts from selected fufu samples
|
26
|
|
4.2
|
Morphological identification, Biochemical Identification, Gram
Reaction and Sugar Utilization Profile of bacterial isolates from the fufu
samples
|
27
|
|
4.3
|
Cultural Morphology and Microscopic Characteristics of the
Fungal Isolates from the fufu samples sold in Umuahia
|
28
|
|
4.4
|
Percentage occurrence of bacterial and fungal isolates from fufu
samples
|
29
|
|
4.5
|
Distribution of Bacterial and Fungal Isolates from the fufu
Samples
|
30
|
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Fufu is an acid-fermented cassava
product produced through submerged fermentation of peeled cassava roots in
water and consumed in Nigeria, West African countries and other parts of the
world. Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is the staple root crop of over 800
million people in the humid tropics and ranks sixth in terms of overall global
crop production (Nassar et al.,
2007). It is a perennial woody shrub with an edible root, which grows in
tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world (Burrell, 2003). Cassava is one of
the most important food crops in the tropics that serve as a food security and
income generation crop for many millions of people in the developing world. It
is one of the most important food staples in the tropics, where it is the
fourth most important source of energy. Worldwide, it is the sixth most
important source of calories in the human diet and the third most important in
the tropics after rice and maize (El-Sharkawy, 2004). Cassava is grown widely
in Nigeria and many other regions (countries) of the tropics, where it serves
as one of the basic food source for about 200-300 million people. The main
cassava food products of considerable domestic importance in Nigeria are garri
in the south, lafun in the west and fufu in the east (Olopade et al., 2014). The principal parts of
the mature cassava plant expressed as a percentage of the whole plant are 6%
leaves; 44% stems and 50% storage roots. The roots and leaves of the cassava
plant are the two nutritionally valuable parts, which serve as food. The
cassava root is composed of 60-65% moisture, 20-31% carbohydrate, 0.2-0.6%
ether extracts, 1-2% crude protein and a comparatively low content of vitamins
and minerals. The root carbohydrate is made up of 64-72% starch. However, the
roots are rich in calcium and vitamin C and contain a nutritionally significant
quantity of thiamine, riboflavin and nicotinic acid that are lost during
processing (El-Sharkawy, 2004).
During fermentation of fufu, lactic
acid bacteria, yeast and other bacteria contribute significantly to starch
breakdown, acidification, detoxification, and flavour development. Among the
fermented products of cassava, fufu is one of the favourite consumed in many
parts of West Africa countries (Uyoh et
al., 2009). This is produced by steeping in water peeled cassava cubes for
24-72 hours. The fermented cassava is sieved to remove the fibers and allow to
sediment. After sedimentation, the water is decanted and the sediment is dried,
milled and the fufu flour is obtained (Sanni et al., 2007).
Fufu is produced, sold and eaten in
Nigeria and other African countries without any formal regulations or
certification and this necessitate microbiological studies in other to
ascertain its consumption and quality. There is little or no microbiological study and analysis of
commercial ready-to-eat fufu sold in
Benin City, South-South Nigeria unlike other part of the country like the
South-East (Imo and Abia state) where Odom and his colleagues had carried out
research work on the Biochemical qualities of cassava fufu sold in Imo and Abia
States of Nigeria (Odom et al., 2012)
as well as the South-West (Ogun state) where Olopade and his colleague work on
the Microbiological quality of fermented garri, a staple food from cassava
(Olopade et al., 2014). Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is among the
major root crops in the world and is cultivated in all tropical and subtropical
regions particularly in Africa, Asia and South America where it provides over
50% of the average daily calorific intake. Cassava root is more perishable than
other tuber crops such as yam and sweet potato because it has no dormancy and
it senesces soon after harvesting (about 2-5 days), followed by microbial
deterioration 3-5 days later. Cassava tuber varies widely in their cyanogenic
contents with most varieties containing about 15 to 400 mg of HCN per Kg of
fresh weight. Cassava fufu is a fermented wet paste made from cassava. It is
ranked next to gari as an indigenous food of most Nigerians. Cassava fufu has a
very strong odour and is an important staple food widely eaten in Nigeria, many
parts of West Africa and the Tropics. Cassava fufu has gained popularity and acceptance to the point that it is
being sold in the market and hawked in the streets of most cities and
metropolis of South East, South-South and South-West Nigeria. The cooked
ready-to-eat cassava fufu is wrapped
in low density polyethylene bags that are transparent and packed in plastic
buckets, while some quantities are displayed on plastic/stainless trays for
prospective buyers. Cassava fufu as
sold in the market is a ready-to-eat food that does not require further heat
treatment before consumption. Moreover, it is convenient as no further
processing is needed (Olapade et al.,
2014). The fufu as it were, is
usually exposed to sunlight and the shelflife depends on the vagaries of
weather. As microorganisms are known to thrive under different temperatures,
the fufu is prone to weather changes
giving rise to the development of some microorganisms in the fufu. Besides, the fufu usually lasts for 4 to 7 days before the sales could be
finished. Thus, the fufu is exposed
to post processing contaminations just like every other food largely due to
poor handling and marketing/channel of distribution. Hence, this study is
undertaken with a view to evaluating the post processing qualities of cassava fufu as sold and marketed in the study
area.
1.1 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study is to evaluate
the microbiological quality of ready to eat fufu sold within Umuahia metropolis.
The specific objectives are;
•
Isolation and identification of bacteria and fungi
contaminants from different vended fufu within Umuahia.
•
Determination of total aerobic bacteria plate count and
total fungal count.
•
Determination of the percentage frequency distribution of
the microbial isolates on the vended fufu samples.
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