Bacteriological quality of retail pap prepared from maizeand sorghum in Wwerri markets, Nigeria

Abstract

Bacteriological studies on pap samples prepared from guinea corn and maize sold at three markets in Owerri Imo State, Nigeria together with their similar laboratory preparation as controls were carried out. Two hundred and nineteen (209) distinct isolates were obtained.
Identification tests revealed the isolation of fifteen bacterial genera in the pap samples. These included Acetobacter, Bacillus, Corynebacterium, E. coli, Citrobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, Micrococcus, Neisseriae, Proteus, Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. The isolated genera that contaminated 24 pap samples prepared from guinea corn and their percentage isolations were Acetobacter (33.3%), Bacillus (37.5%), Corynebacterium (25%), Enterobacter (62.5%), Leuconostoc (16.7%), Neisseriae (33.3%), Pseudomonas (75%) Staphylococcus (41.7%) and Streptococcus (29.2%). E. coli (62.5%), Citrobacter (54.2%), Enterobacter (83.3%), Klebsiella (79.2%), Lactobacillus (25%), Micrococcus (45.8%), Neisseriae (12.5%). Proteus (75%), Pseudomonas (70.8%) and Staphylococcus (50%) were isolated from maize. Overall percentage positive isolation showed Pseudomonas and Enterobacter (72.9% each) to be the highest isolated genera, while Leuconostoc (8.35%), Corynebacterium and Lactobacillus (12.5% each) were the least. The mean bacterial counts of total aerobic, coliform and enterobacteriaceae ranged from 7.3xl07- 1.78 X 109 cfu/ml; 1.3 x 107 - 8.0xl09 cfu/ml; and 1.0 x 107-7.2 X 108 cfu/ml, respectively. The highest total aerobic, total coliform and enterobacteriaceae counts of 1.78xl09 cfu/ml, 8.0xl09 cfu/ml and 7.2 xl08 cfu/ml respectively were obtained from maize pap samples. Such high aerobic, coliform and enterobacteriaceae counts are of public health concern.

Keywords: Pap, maize, sorghum, bacterial count, coliform, Nigeria