Four food samples namely fried chicken, fried
rice, meat pie and cake from four different fast food restaurants in Lokoja were
purchased and assessed microbiologically. Ten bacterial species were identified as Streptococcus sp., Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Flavobacterium sp., Proteus sp., Escherichia coli, Klebsiella sp., Salmonella sp. and Pseudomonas
aeruginosa. Four fungal species namely Penicillium sp., Rhizopus stolonifer, Mucor sp. and Aspergillus flavus were isolated and identified in the
samples. The bacterial count of food samples ranged from 7.0 × 103 to 2.23 × 105 cfu/g while coliform count ranged from 6.0 × 105 to
1.175 × 105 cfu/g
and the total fungal count ranged from 1.4 × 103 to 5.75 × 104 cfu/g. These values are more than the
required levels stipulated by regulatory bodies responsible for food safety for cooked foods.
The organisms identified in the food samples are indicative of poor personal
hygiene while handling or processing food, and thus food handlers should take
necessary precautions so as to ensure that food safety of the populace is not
compromised.
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