BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF MEAT PIES SOLD IN IJEBU-ODE, SOUTH-WESTERN NIGERIA

Ready to eat foods is described as the status of foods prepared for consumers for immediate consumption at the point of sale. This study was carried out to determine the bacteriological quality of meat pies sold in standard eateries and local kiosks in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, Nigeria. Twenty-seven samples of fresh meat pie purchased from three different standard eateries and local kiosks at different locations in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria were assayed for bacteriological quality. Ten fold dilutions of the homogenates were prepared and up to 10⁷ dilution factors of the homogenate were plated in triplicates on Mac Conkey agar, Eosin Methylene blue agar, Mueller Hinton Agar, Mannitol salt agar using pour plate method. Six genera of bacteria were isolated and these were identified as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia. coli, Klebsiella spp, Pseudomonas spp, Bacillus spp and Enterococcus spp as revealed by their morphological and biochemical characteristics. Occurrence of, at least, one bacterium from the samples obtained from standard eateries ranged from nil to 4.5 x 10⁴ cfu/ml while that of the local kiosks ranged from nil to as high as 4.5 x 10⁷ cfu/ml. Results also showed that minced meat samples had more bacterial contaminant than the pastry samples. It was concluded in this study that the meat pie sold in Ijebu-Ode metropolis is often contaminated with bacteria which are potentially pathogenic in nature as results obtained indicated the occurrence of some of these organisms in numbers large enough to establish foodborne infection in susceptible consumers. Sales of this product after the first day of preparation should be generally discouraged and local producers should be educated on microbiological hazards associated with it.

TABLE OF CONTENT

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1       JUSTIFICATION

1.2       GENERAL OBJECTIVE

1.3       SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

CHAPTER TWO

2.0       BACTERIA

2.1       FOOD-BORNE ILLNESSES AND FOOD SAFETY

2.1.1    Human costs

2.1.2    Economic costs

2.2       Current and new challenges to food safety

2.2.1    Changes in animal husbandry

2.2.2    Changes in agronomic process

2.2.3    Increase in international trade

2.2.4    Changes in food or agricultural technology

2.2.5    Increase in susceptible populations

2.2.6    Increase in travel

2.2.7    Changes in lifestyle and consumer demands

CHAPTER THREE

3.0       MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1       Study Area

3.2       Sample collection

3.3       Sample analysis

3.4       Identification of isolates

3.4.1    Gram’s staining reaction

3.4.2    Oxidase Test

3.4.3    Citrate Utilization Test

3.4.4    Catalase Test

3.4.5    Urease Activity

3.4.6    Starch Hydrolysis

3.4.7    Coagulase Test

3.4.8    Indole Production Test

3.4.9    Motility Test

3.5       Microscopy Morphology

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0       RESULTS

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0       Discussion and Conclusion

5.1       Recommendation

REFERENCES

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1:           Isolates obtained from meat pies from both standard eateries and local kiosks

Table 2a:          Occurrrence of bacteria in meat pie from standard eateries

Table 2b:         Bacteria counts in samples of meat pie from standard eateries

Table 3a:          Occurrrence of bacteria in meat pie from local kiosks

Table 3b:         Bacteria counts in samples of meat pie from local kiosk