Occurrence of Potential Bacterial Pathogens in Food from Local Restaurants in Azikoro Town, Bayelsa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Foodborne gastroenteritis, security and safety is a global concern in today’s world, in that regard it is a major concern to public health policies however foods vendor are patronized on daily bases in urban and suburban cities in Nigeria. This study is aimed at investigating the hygienic status of highly patronized food vendors in Azikoro town in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. Four (4) samples of ready-to-eat street food (rice, yams, beans, and spaghetti) were bought from vendors and brought in coolers to the lab. The samples were analyzed bacteriologically using the streak plate method. The plates were then checked for growth after being incubated for 24 hours at 37°C. In order to subculture, bacteriological agar was used. The growth was then examined, and standard biochemical tests were performed to determine which microorganisms were present. The fourty (40) different colonies in the foods sampled contained nine different bacterial species, with spaghetti having the highest frequency. Yersinia enterocolitica (7.5%), Proteus mirabilis (12.5%), Staphylococcus aureus (7.5%), Bacillus cereus (17.5%), Citrobacter freundii (5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (30.7692), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.6923%), Enterobacter aerogenes (2.5%), and Escherichia coli (20%). The research showed that street foods have the potential to spread bacterial pathogens that cause food-borne illnesses. Consequently, there is a need to create achievable plans aimed at ensuring the safety of street food.