Isolation and Identification of Some Enterobacteria from Retailed Convenience Foods

Meat pie and Fish roll samples from five different local government areas (LGAs) in Ibadan, Nigeria were analysed microbiologically for presence of Enterobacteriaceae and other common food borne pathogens. Sampling was done twice for three months and plating of food samples was carried out by pour plate and membrane filter techniques on different bacteriological media for Total plate and Coliform counts on samples. Identification was done based on colonial morphology, Gram’s reaction and biochemical and sugar fermentation characteristics of isolates. 1483 bacterial counts were obtained from samples evaluated. Identification of isolates showed that 14 genera of microorganisms were represented out of which Salmonella spp and Proteus vulgaris from the Family Enterobacteriaceae represented about 12% of total number obtained. Others included Flavobacterium spp, Pseudomonas spp, Aeromonas spp and Moraxellaspp. Gram positive bacteria among isolates were: Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus spp, Lactobacillus spp., Norcadia spp, Microbacterium spp, Bacillus spp, and Streptococcus spp. Yeast isolates among the microorganisms were identified as Rhodotorulla spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Percentage occurrences of isolates from road side samples were higher than that of Eatery samples in all the LGAs, roadside Fish roll from Oluyole had highest percentage of Salmonea spp (42.2%), while that from Ibadan North-East had highest percentage of Proteus spp. (28.11%). Roadside Meat pies obtained from Lagelu showed highest percentage of Salmonella spp (34.3%) and those from Ibadan South-west showed highest percentage of Proteus spp (31%). High occurrence of microorganisms in some of the convenience food samples requires urgent attention by health policy makers and all stakeholders.