CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Bacterial are group of microorganism all of which lack a distinct nuclear

membrane (and hence are considered more primitive than animal and plant

cells) and most of which have a cell wall of unique composition. Most

bacterial are unicellular; the cells may be spherical (coccu) rod – shaped

(bacillus) spiral (spirillum) comma – shaped (vibrio) or corkscrew-shaped

(spierocheate). Generally they range in size between 0.5 and 5um.

(Elizabeth and Martin 2003).

Food is any substance that people or animal eat or drink or that plants

absorb to maintain life and growth. Food is any substance consumed for

nutritional support for the body; it is usually of plant or animal origin.

(Ezeronye 2007). Food consists of chemical compounds which heterophilic

living thing consumes in order to carry out metabolic processed. They are

also substances which when introduced to the digestive system under normal

circumstances contribute to growth repair and production of energy.

(Ezeronye 2007). Foods are classified into six essential nutrients known as

protein carbohydrate vitamin mineral fat and oil water.

PROTEIN: - One of a group of organic compounds of carbon hydrogen

oxygen and nitrogen (sulphur and phosphorus may also be present). The

protein molecule is a complex structure made up of one or more chains of

amino acid which are linked by peptide bonds. Proteins are essential

constituents of the body; they form the structural material of muscles

tissues organs etc. and are equally important as regulators of function as

enzymes and hormones proteins are synthesized in the body from their

constituent amino acids which are obtained from the digestion of protein in

the diet (Elizabeth and Martin 2003).

CARBOHYDRATE: - One of a large group of compounds including the

sugar and starch that contain carbon hydrogen and oxygen and have the

general formular C

X

(H

2

0) Y- Carbohydrates are important as a source of

energy: they are manufactured by plants and obtained by animals from the

diet being one of the three main constituent of food. All carbohydrates are

eventually broken down in the body to the simple sugar glucose which can

then take part in energy producing metabolic processes. Excess

carbohydrate not immediately required by the body is stored in the liver and

muscles in the form of glycogen. In plants carbohydrate are important

structural materials (e.g. cellulose and storage products (commonly in the

form of starch). (Elizabeth and Martin 2003).

VITAMIN:- Any of a group of substances that are required in very small

amounts for healthy growth and development: they cannot be synthesized

by the body and are therefore essential constituents of the diet. Vitamins are

divided into two groups according to whether they are soluble in water or

fat. The water soluble groups include the vitamin C; the fat soluble vitamins

are vitamins A D E and K. Lack of sufficient quantities of any of the

vitamins in the diet results in specific vitamin deficiency diseased (Elizabeth

and Martin 2003).

FAT:- A substance that contains one or more fatty acids (in the form of

triglyceride) and is the principal form in which energy is stored by the body

(in adipose tissue). It also serves as an insulating material beneath the skin

(in the subcutaneous tissue) and around certain organs (including the

kidney). Fat is one of the three main constituents of food; it is necessary in

the diet to provide an adequate supply of essential fatty acid and from the

efficient absorption of fat –soluble vitamins from the intestine. Excessive

deposition of fat in the body leads to obesity. (Elizabeth and Martin 2003).

A vendor is a person selling something (en.Wikipedia

org/Wiki/vendor). The world Health Organization (WHO) Indicated that

food-borne diseases most of which are of microbial origin are perhaps the

most widespread problems in the contemporary world and this is responsible

for about one third of death world wide through infectious conditions with

adverse effects can reduce economic productivity. Poor sanitary condition in

most of the local markets and the environment being highly polluted and

charged with spoilage and pathogenic flora is likely the source of

contamination of food items sold by such vendors. (Oweghe et al. 2001). It

is known that poor hygienic conditions in a food environment may

encourage the multiplication of pathogenic organisms in food (Egeonu

2002). It has been observed that Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus

grow to oxygenic levels in food at 30

0

c (Egeonu 2003). Therefore

microbiological examination of foods and food contact surfaces may provide

information concerning the quality of the raw food and the sanitary

conditions under which the food is processed (Michael et al; 2004).

Microorganisms live throughout the kitchen and can easily move around by

attaching themselves to people easily move around by attaching themselves

to people food and equipment. Bacteria may pass from equipment to food

which has not been properly cleaned and sanitized before being used to

prepare another food. Examination of food consumed and also

wholesomeness. This implies that the food to be consumed by humans

should be pure and free from contamination especially by pathogenic and

spoilage micro organisms. Failure to ensure the safety and wholesomeness

of the food consumed by the public might lead to some illness. To reduce

contamination by microorganisms to a minimum level and obtain good

keeping quality of the products the raw materials should regularly be

monitored and examined.

Food contacts surfaces are a major concern for food service facilities

in controlling the spread of food-borne pathogens surfaces such as bench

tops table etc. may have bacterial on them from contact with people raw

foods dirty equipments or other things such as cartons that have been stored

on the floor. If the bench tops are not properly cleaned any food on them

will be contaminated by the bacterial (Kamil 2005).

1.1 AIM

The overall aim of this work is to access selected foods sold by vendors in

Ogbete main market Enugu for bacterial contamination.

OBJECTIVES

1. To isolate and identify bacterial species associated with food

contamination.

2. To determine the microbial load of isolated bacteria.

3. To establish the public health implication of consumption of such

foods.