Isolation and Identification of Bacteria from Food Vendors and some Vegetables Available

Chapter One

Introduction

Background of the study

Bacterial are a type of microbe that lacks a distinct nuclear membrane (and hence is considered more primitive than animal and plant cells) and has a separate cell wall composition. The majority of bacteria are unicellular; the cells might be spherical (coccu), rod-shaped (bacillus), spiral-shaped (spirillum), comma-shaped (vibrio), or corkscrew-shaped (spierocheate). They are typically between 0.5 to 5um in size (Elizabeth and Martin, 2003).

Food is any substance that humans or animals consume or absorb in order to preserve life and growth. Food is any material that is taken to provide nutritional support to the body; it is often of plant or animal origin. Ezeronye (2007). Food is made up of chemical molecules that heterophilic living things eat in order to perform metabolic processes. They are also compounds that, when given into the digestive system under normal conditions, contribute to development, repair, and energy production.

Ezeronye (2007). Protein, carbohydrate, vitamin mineral, fat and oil, and water are the six important nutrients found in foods.

PROTEIN: An organic substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen (sulphur and phosphorus may also be present). The protein molecule is a complex structure composed of one or more amino acid chains connected by peptide bonds. Proteins are essential constituents of the body; they form the structural material of muscles, tissues, organs, and so on, and they are also important as function regulators such as enzymes and hormones. Proteins are synthesized in the body from their constituent amino acids, which are obtained from protein digestion in the diet (Elizabeth and Martin, 2003).

CARBOHYDRATE: – One of a vast set of chemicals that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and have the general formula CX (H20). Y- Carbohydrates are a significant source of energy since they are produced by plants and consumed by animals as one of the three primary components of food. In the body, all carbs are eventually broken down to the simple sugar glucose, which can be stored.

Then participate in energy-producing metabolic activities. Excess glucose that is not immediately required by the body is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Carbohydrates are key structural components (e.g., cellulose) and storage products (most typically in the form of starch) in plants. 2003 (Elizabeth and Martin).

VITAMIN:- Any of a set of nutrients necessary in very small amounts for proper growth and development: they cannot be produced by the body and are hence important dietary elements. Vitamins are classified into two types based on whether they are water or fat soluble. Vitamin C belongs to the water-soluble group, while vitamins A, D, E, and K belong to the fat-soluble group. Specific vitamin deficiency disease is caused by a lack of sufficient quantities of any of the vitamins in the diet (Elizabeth and Martin, 2003).

FAT: A substance that comprises one or more fatty acids (in the form of triglycerides) and is the primary form in which the body stores energy (in adipose tissue). It also acts as an insulator beneath the skin (in subcutaneous tissue) and around some organs (including the kidney). Fat is one of the three primary components of food; it is required in the diet to provide an appropriate amount of vital fatty acids and to facilitate the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins from the intestine. Obesity is caused by excessive fat buildup in the body. 2003 (Elizabeth and Martin).

A vendor is someone who sells goods or services (en.Wikipedia.org/Wiki/vendor). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), food-borne diseases, the majority of which are of microbial origin, are among the most common problems in the modern world, accounting for approximately one-third of all deaths worldwide. Infectious conditions with negative consequences can reduce economic productivity. The source of contamination of food items sold by such vendors is believed to be poor hygienic conditions in most local markets, as well as the environment being extremely polluted and laden with spoilage and pathogenic bacteria. Oweghe and colleagues (2001). Poor sanitary conditions in a food environment are known to promote the development of harmful organisms in food (Egeonu, 2002).

Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus have been reported to grow to oxygenic levels in food at 300 degrees Celsius (Egeonu, 2003). As a result, microbial analysis of foods and food contact surfaces may be beneficial.

information on the raw food’s quality and the sanitary circumstances under which the food is processed (Michael et al; 2004). Microorganisms live throughout the kitchen and can readily move about by attaching themselves to people, food, and equipment. Bacteria can spread from contaminated equipment to food that has not been thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before being used to create another dish. Examination of the food ingested, as well as its wholesomeness.

This implies that human food should be pure and devoid of contamination, particularly harmful and rotting microorganisms. Failure to assure the safety and wholesomeness of food ingested by the general public may result in sickness. To keep microorganism contamination to a minimum and achieve acceptable product keeping quality, raw materials should be monitored and analyzed on a regular basis.

Surfaces such as bench tops, tables, and so on may have bacteria on them from touch with humans, raw meals, unclean equipment, or other objects such as cartons that have been kept on the ground. If the bench tops are not thoroughly cleaned, any food that comes into contact with them will be contaminated by bacteria (Kamil, 2005).

Aim

The overall aim of this work is to access selected foods sold by vendors in Ogbete main market Enugu for bacterial contamination.

Objectives

1. To isolate and identify bacterial species associated with food contamination.

2. To determine the microbial load of isolated bacteria.

3. To establish the public health implication of consumption of such foods.