Microbiological Analyses of Freshly Laid and Stored Domestic Poultry Eggs in Selected Poultry Farms in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria

Freshly laid and stored domestic fowl eggs of 7, 14 and 21 days old respectively were microbiologically analyzed for organisms on their shells, in the chalazae, albumen and yolks. All the egg parts were analyzed by plating unto Nutrient, McConkey and Sabourand`s Dextrose agars respectively. Nine bacterial isolates which included Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter, Bacillus, Alcaligenes, Proteus, Pseudomonas and Serratia and five fungal genera namely Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cladosporium, Monilia and Rhizopus were isolated and identified in all the samples. The bacterial load was in the range with 3.3x106-1.5x107 CFU mL-1 with the shell having the highest and the albumen the lowest load respectively. Result showed presence of pathogenic microbes in the sample analyzed and was concluded that domestic fowl eggs should not be consumed raw.