<b>Assessment of bacteriological quality among roasted pork meat in Wukari metropolis, North-East Nigeria</b>

Aim: The research work aimed to isolate and identify microorganisms associated with roasted pork meat in the Wukari metropolis. Methods: Six pieces of roasted pork meat were obtained from 3 different pork meat vendors, two each at Wukari Yam Market, General Hospital, and East Primary School. A piece of roasted pork meat from each sample was mashed, and 1g was weighed and introduced into a 9ml of sterile distilled water for serial dilution. MacConkey and Nutrient agar was prepared for culture, where colonies were purified and identified. Results: Total viable and coliform counts were determined, and isolates were identified using biochemical tests. The total viable count fall within 0.1 x 104 to 8.4 x 104 and coliform counts ranged from 16.3×104cfu/g to 3.2×104cfu/g. The microorganisms with their frequency of occurrence during the investigation were; Bacillus spp. (20%), Moraxella spp. (10%), Neisseria spp. (20%), Pseudomonas oryzihabitans (30%), and Staphylococcus aureus (10%). The results revealed varied microbial loads across samples, with Bacillus spp., Moraxella spp., Neisseria spp., Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, and Staphylococcus aureus being the predominant isolates. Conclusion: These findings underscore the importance of understanding the microbial profile of roasted pork meat to ensure food safety and quality. Several potentially harmful bacteria were isolated, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Neisseria spp., and Moraxella spp. These findings highlight a serious public health concern and highlight the urgent need for improve sanitation practices, vendor education, and food safety regulation enforcement in the area.