MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF OPENED SOFT DRINK BOTTLES FOR PATHOGENIC BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH DRINKING DIRECTLY FROM THE ORIFICE.

Four types of carbonated soft drinks encoded as A, B, C and D; and bottled and sealed water E (used as control) were bought from a student restaurant in the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt Nigeria. The area of the orifice and neck of the bottles usually placed in the mouth while drinking directly from the bottles was analyzed in triplicates for the impinging bacterial species. Of the eighty-three morphologically identified aerobic isolates the percent frequency of occurrence was: Staphylococcus aureus (38.4%), Bacillus and other gram-positive rods (36.0 %), Enterococcus sp (12.0 %), Micrococcus spp (8.4% each), and Proteus and Pseudomonas spp (2.4% each). The Standard Plate Count expressed as the Colony Forming Units (CFU) indicated a range of 5.3 x 10 3 to 2.6.0 x 10 4 CFU ml-1 of the rinsate of the orifice and neck of the soft-drink bottles. The preponderance of the indicator organisms: Coagulase positive S. aureus and the Enterococci sp is used to infer the presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria. The need for public health enlightenment on the packaging and safe conduits for the distribution of soft drinks was discussed

Microbiological quality of fermented Cassava Flakes (Gari) sold in Yenagoa, Metropolis, Nigeria

The study investigated the microbial quality of gari (viz yellow and white) sold in five markets of Yenagoa metropolis, Nigeria. Three Fifteen samples of each type of gari were obtained from each market. Microbiological examination of the samples was carried using standard microbiological procedure. Results showed that total heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform and total fungi ranged from 3.848 to 4.973 Log cfu/g, 2.659 to 3.793 Log cfu/g and 3.371 to  3.832 Log cfu/g respectively (yellow gari); 4.206 to 5.206 Log cfu/g, 3.242 to 3.803 Log cfu/g, and 3.887 to 4.145 Log cfu/g respectively (white gari). Analysis of variance of Log coliform forming counts showed that there was no significance difference (P>0.05) among the various markets. The microbial density is within acceptable and tolerable level for ready to eat food. The bacterial species tentatively identified in both gari types include Micrococcus, Klebsiella, Proteus, Bacillus and Corynebacterium species, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes and E. coli. The fungal species are Aspergillus niger, Fusarium, Rhizopus, Mucor and Penicillium species. Some of these microbes found in gari samples are suspected potential pathogens to human health

Microbiological quality assessment of suya sold in Yenagoa, metropolis, Nigeria

This study assessed the microbial quality of suya sold in Yenagoa metropolis, Nigeria. Triplicate sample of suya were purchased from six communities in Yenagoa metropolis. Standard microbiological procedures were used for determining the microbial diversity and density. Results for the total heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform and total fungi ranged from 3.93 – 4.98, 2.94– 3.33 and 2.84 – 3.48 Log cfu/g, respectively. Analysis of variance showed that there were no significance differences (P>0.05) among the suya sample vended in some location in Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Six and four bacterial and mould isolates were identified and among them the highest and least occurrence frequenies were Staphylococcus aureus (28.1%) and Proteus species (9.3%) for bacteria and  Aspergillus niger (39.7%) and Mucor species (11.8%) for mould respectively. Other bacterial isolates include Escherichia coli, Bacillus, Micrococcus and Pseudomonas species and fungi isolates were Aspergillus flavus  and Penicillium species. The implication of microbial diversity and density on potential consumers of suya in Yenagoa metropolis were discussed

EFFECT OF CRUDE OIL ON THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF CHLOROPHYLL-A AND PHAEOPIGMENT BY ESTUARINE MICROALGAL BIOFILMS IN THE WETLAND

ABSTRACT Four separate mesocosm-based Experiments (A-D) were carried out over a period of four months involving impactation of microalgal mats in cores at two levels of PHC concentrations and nutrient enrichment with nitrate and phosphate at three levels of concentrations. Two sets of experiments were set up; in the light and in the dark. The effect of maximum enrichment in increasing CHL-a biosynthesis in the dark was observed at low and high oil impactation from the effect of periodic variation (P = <0.001). Values ranged from 5.9 -59.5 µg g -1 of sediment at low and high oil-spiking. After correction to percent baseline value, at low oil spiking, CHL-a was better synthesized in the light than in the dark. At higher oil impactation it appears CHL-a was better synthesized in the oil-spiked controls in the dark especially and also and in the light which were respectively 240 and 180% higher than the baseline values. The typical biofilm response to contaminants in the environment appear to have been exhibited in which they were sequestered and made non-available for biodegradation in the absence or reduced mineral enrichment. In this case oil KIGIGHA, UNDERWOOD, 2013: 1 (6) [email protected] 19

Effect of Residual Antibiotics in Snacks against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract This study assessed the effect of ethanolic, hot water and cold water extracts of processed ready-to-eat snacks containing protenous substances against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The snacks (shawama, Scotch egg and meat pie) were purchased from fast food hawkers in Yenagoa metropolis, Bayelsa state, Nigeria. Disk-diffusion method was used for the sensitivity testing of the various extracts and 1% Ampiclox was used for the comparison of the antibacterial effects. Results showed that ethanolic extracts have superior effect compared to cold and hot water. For hot water treatment, the E. coli zone of inhibition for scotch egg, shawama and meat pie were 8.38, 12.57 and 10.48mm respectively. For cold water extracts, these were 10.48, 13.62 and 8.38mm respectively. For the ethanolic extracts, the zone of inhibition for the snacks was 12.57mm (Scotch egg), 14.67mm (shawama) and 13.62mm (meat pie). For S. aureus, the corresponding zones of inhibition for the snacks i.e scotch egg, shawama and meat pie were 10.48, 14.67 and 8.38mm respectively (for hot water extract), 10.48, 15.71 and 12.57mm respectively (for ethanolic extract) and 10.48, 12.57 and 10.48mm respectively (for cold water extract). Ethanolic extract had higher zones of inhibition on both isolates. Also the E. coli had superior zone of inhibition compared to 1% Ampiclox than S. aureus. Analysis of variance showed that there was significant difference (P<0.05) among the test organisms used in this study based on the treatments. This study showed that residual antibiotics used for protenous sources (e.g egg, meat etc) were transferred to their final products widely consumed by several people as fast foods, which are becoming more popular with students and the working class who spent long hours from home