22Apr 2017

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON BACTERIAL LOAD FROM POST-HARVEST VEGETABLES SOLD AT ROAD SIDE AND SUPERMARKET: IN CASE OF JIMMA TOWN, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA.

  • Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Jimma University, Jimma P.O.Box: 378, Ethiopia.
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Vegetables are important protective food and highly beneficial for the maintenance of health and prevention of diseases. However, during growth, harvest, transportation and further handling the product can be contaminated with pathogens from animal and human sources. This study was aimed to assess the bacteriological load of post-harvest vegetables sold at Jimma town markets. A total of 32 vegetable samples were purchased from Ajip and kochi of Jimma town, specifically from road side and supermarket and analyzed for their bacteriological loads following standard bacteriological methods. Result showed that the total aerobic count in cabbage samples( 2.34x109 to 2.75x109cfu/ml) and carrot samples (2.18x109 to 2.5x109cfu/ml) taken from the road sides were higher than the total aerobic count for cabbage samples (1.41x109 to 1.78x109cfu/ml) taken from supermarket and carrot samples (1.65x109 to 1.72x109cfu/ml) taken from the shops. The two pathogenic bacteria namely, S. aureus and E.coli were identified from all samples. Samples taken from both shops and road sides were contaminated by pathogenic bacteria. The cabbage and carrot might be contaminated as a result of handling by farmers or retailers. Improper handling and improper hygiene might lead to contamination of raw cabbage and carrot and this might eventually affect the health of the consumers. It is necessary and important that both the farmer who harvests the vegetables into bags for transportation, the marketers and consumers take necessary and appropriate precautions in preventing contamination and eating of contaminated vegetables.


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[Demeke Lema, Tokuma Negisho, Meseret Guta and Girma Mosisa. (2017); COMPARATIVE STUDY ON BACTERIAL LOAD FROM POST-HARVEST VEGETABLES SOLD AT ROAD SIDE AND SUPERMARKET: IN CASE OF JIMMA TOWN, SOUTHWESTERN ETHIOPIA. Int. J. of Adv. Res. 5 (Apr). 6-13] (ISSN 2320-5407). www.journalijar.com


Tokuma Negisho Bayissa
Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia

DOI:


Article DOI: 10.21474/IJAR01/3775      
DOI URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/3775