Bacterial quality of a smoked meat product (“Suya”)

Abstract

The bacteriological quality of “suya” sold within Makurdi metropolis was determined. Suya samples from four selected locations were examined bacteriologically for both Total Plate and Coliform Counts. Mean Total Plate and Coliform Counts varied from 3.7x10⁵cfu/g to 2.4x10⁶cfu/g and 1.9x10²cfu/g to 1.0x10³cfu/g of samples respectively. Faecal coliform bacteria were isolated from all suya samples with the same pattern of distribution. There was significant difference (p>0.05) of bacterial contamination among samples from the different locations using Tukey\'s LSD multiple comparison test. The Total Plate Count and Coliform Counts of most samples were within recommended safe limit for meat except the coliform count of the Wurukum (WK) sample that was above the limit of 4x10²cfu/g for Escherichia coli. Isolation of faecal coliforms from all samples in this investigation should be a serious concern to consumers. This calls for urgent improvement on the hygienic handling of the product by suya processors.

Keywords: suya, faecal coliforms, contamination, bacteriological quality, hygienic conditions

Nigerian Food Journal Vol. 23 2005: 239-242