Microbial evaluation of borehole water used by selected bakeries in Ijebu-North, Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

Water is one of the most important components of dough systems used to produce bread and other bakery products. Water could serve as a direct or indirect source of microbial contamination during baking, handling, or packaging, thereby affecting the quality and safety of bakery products. This study investigated the presence of faecal coliforms in water sources of selected bakeries in Ijebu North Local Government Area. Water samples were collected from the main sources of three bakeries located in the Ijebu North Area. Physical and microbiological parameters were then investigated and compared to the WHO guidelines. The average temperature and pH ranged between 24.30 and 25.27^oC and between 6.40 and 6.73, respectively. The average total bacterial and coliform counts of the water samples collected from the three bakeries were in the ranges of 1.80-3.60 x 10⁴ CFU ml⁻¹ and 1.60-2.70 x 104 CFU ml^–1, respectively (p < 0.0001). Twenty-nine isolates comprising four species (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella spp.) were observed in this study. The study showed that all water samples under analysis were tainted with faecal coliform, which makes the water unsafe for use in bakeries.