FOOD SAFETY EVALUATION OF KPOMO: MICROBIOLOGICAL AND HEAVY METAL SCREENING IN MARKET SAMPLES

Kpomo serves as a major source of meat in Nigeria and due to it’s unhygienic processing conditions could pose public health risks. This study investigated the microbiomes of kpomo meat sold in markets. Results obtained revealed that kpomo meat had the highest total heterotrophic bacterial count (THBC) of 2.46x107 cfu/g > water used to soak the meat (1.77x107 cfu/ml) > the 2,06x106 and 1.3x105 cfu/5cm3 on tray and knife swabs. Staphylococcus counts of all samples showed counts of 1.96x107cfu/g, 5.65x104cfu/5cm3, 9.90x104cfu/5cm3 and 7.90x107cfu/ml for meat, knife, tray and water samples respectively. Coliform counts of the kpomo meat revealed counts ranged from 1.01x105 to 9.0x105 cfu/g while that on tray samples ranged from 1.0x104 to 1.3x104 Cfu/cm3. Knife and water samples showed counts ranging from 5.3x103 to 8.15x104 cfu/5cm3 and 1.02x105 to 8.9x105 cfu/ml. kpomo meat samples fungal count ranging from 1.08x104 to 9.5x104 Cfu/g; while the water had count of 5.05x104 to 8.75x104 Cfu/ml; the tray samples had counts of 4.45x104 to 8.65x104 Cfu/5cm3which was higher than that of the knife samples which had growths ranging from 4.0x103 to 7.6x103 Cfu/5cm3. Staphylococcus sp. (12.0%), Salmonella sp. (5.3%), Escherichia coli (9.8%), Bacillus sp. (12.0%), Psuedomonas aeruginosa (7.1%), Micrococcus sp. (10.2%), Enterobacter sp. (8.0%), Streptococcus sp. (107%), Protues sp. (11.1%) are all bacteria isolated from this study. Rhizopus sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp., Saccharomyces sp. and Candida sp. were all fungal species isolated. Determination of the heavy metal level done on the samples showed varying quantities of these metals which is probably due to Singeing . Proper cooking and washing of kpomo meats with salt and clean water, prior to cooking, adequate cooking before consumption, maintaining hygienic conditions at market places during sales and regular change of water used in soaking kpomo are all recommended