Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: Introduction
- 1.1 Background to the Study p. 1
- 1.2 Statement of the Problem p. 3
- 1.3 Objectives of the Study p. 4
CHAPTER TWO: Literature Review
- 2.1 Review of Related Literature p. 9
- 2.2 Theoretical Framework p. 12
CHAPTER THREE: Methodology
- 3.1 Research Design p. 18
- 3.2 Population and Sample p. 20
CHAPTER FOUR: Results and Discussion
- 4.1 Data Analysis p. 26
- 4.2 Discussion of Findings p. 30
CHAPTER FIVE: Summary and Conclusion
- 5.1 Summary p. 35
- 5.2 Conclusion p. 38
- 5.3 Recommendations p. 40
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Ready-to-eat food especially chicken meats has grown in popularity globally due
to its availability, making chicken one of the most widely consumed meats;
however, it is also very sensitive to microbial contamination and is frequently
associated with foodborne illnesses the majority of Nigerians. This study
evaluates the microbial safety of ready-to-eat chicken meat sold at the University
of Abuja, focusing on the microbial load, bacterial and fungal isolates, and their
potential implications for public health. Twenty (20) samples of ready-to-eat
chicken were collected from different locations in the University of Abuja. These
were cultured in media plates such as Nutrient agar, Eosin-methylene blue agar
and Potato dextrose agar for bacteria growth at 37oC for 48 hours and fungal
growth at 25oC to 37oC for 72 hours. After which the total aerobic bacterial count
observed ranged from 2.5 × 102
to 5.4 × 102 CFU/mL, coliform count from 2.9 ×
10³ to 6.2 × 10³ CFU/mL, and fungal count from 2.1 × 104
to 4.3 × 104 CFU/mL.
Key bacterial isolates included Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus, with Bacillus subtilis being the
most frequent (22.2%). Among the fungal isolates, Aspergillus niger (19.4%) and
Aspergillus flavus (16.7%) were predominant, raising concerns due to their
potential to produce harmful mycotoxins. The high microbial loads and the
presence of pathogenic microorganisms highlight inadequate hygiene practices
during processing and handling and therefore recommends for improved food
safety protocols, including hygiene training for vendors, regular microbial
assessments, and consumer awareness campaigns, to help reduce health risks
associated with consuming contaminated ready-to-eat chicken meat.
Ready-to-eat food especially chicken meats has grown in popularity globally due
to its availability, making chicken one of the most widely consumed meats;
however, it is also very sensitive to microbial contamination and is frequently
associated with foodborne illnesses the majority of Nigerians. This study
evaluates the microbial safety of ready-to-eat chicken meat sold at the University
of Abuja, focusing on the microbial load, bacterial and fungal isolates, and their
potential implications for public health. Twenty (20) samples of ready-to-eat
chicken were collected from different locations in the University of Abuja. These
were cultured in media plates such as Nutrient agar, Eosin-methylene blue agar
and Potato dextrose agar for bacteria growth at 37oC for 48 hours and fungal
growth at 25oC to 37oC for 72 hours. After which the total aerobic bacterial count
observed ranged from 2.5 × 102
to 5.4 × 102 CFU/mL, coliform count from 2.9 ×
10³ to 6.2 × 10³ CFU/mL, and fungal count from 2.1 × 104
to 4.3 × 104 CFU/mL.
Key bacterial isolates included Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus, with Bacillus subtilis being the
most frequent (22.2%). Among the fungal isolates, Aspergillus niger (19.4%) and
Aspergillus flavus (16.7%) were predominant, raising concerns due to their
potential to produce harmful mycotoxins. The high microbial loads and the
presence of pathogenic microorganisms highlight inadequate hygiene practices
during processing and handling and therefore recommends for improved food
safety protocols, including hygiene training for vendors, regular microbial
assessments, and consumer awareness campaigns, to help reduce health risks
associated with consuming contaminated ready-to-eat chicken meat.