DETERMINATION OF BACTERIAL LOAD ON DRIED AND FRESH PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUM)

Capsicum annum (pepper) is an important spice in every meal and home which is highly nutritious. The main aim of this study is to determine the bacterial load on dried and fresh pepper in Damaturu Metropolis. The specific objectives of the study include: To identify bacterial contamination of pepper, to determine and compare the bacterial content of each sample and to determine the bacterial load on dried and fresh pepper. The determination of bacterial load of fresh and dried pepper was investigated in this study. 10 fold serial dilution of 10-1, 10-2, and 10-3 were prepared from both samples (fresh and dried) inoculated using nutrient agar (N/A) media and incubated at 37oC for 24hours. After 24 hours the respective plates for each respective plate. Result shows high mean microbial load 9.2 x10 4 (cfu/ml) against 2.59 x 10 2 for fresh and dried pepper respectively. Bacterial load of fresh pepper was higher than that of dried pepper; this may be attributed to the high moisture content in fresh pepper of which dried pepper was void of. Base on this findings the following recommendations were made: It’s important that there is a proper handling network from the producer to the distributor to the retailer and even to the final consumers, knowing that some important nutrients were affected by high temperature at it was the case where most of this plant was stored, government should provide silos where it could keep fresh and for year round and also drying and irradiation treatment of the product will also go along in inhibiting the growth of most microorganisms that may arise.