ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MICROORGANISMS ASSOCIATED WITH SPOILAGE OF CANNED FOODS (CANNED TOMATOES)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
This study investigates the microorganisms associated with the spoilage of canned tomatoes. About 28 canned tomato samples were collected from Ogbete Market in Enugu North LGA of Enugu State and subjected for the microbial analysis. Ten fold serial dilution was conducted and the microbial load were identified using their cultural and morphological characteristics. From the result of the analysis, the isolates revealed the presence of Staphylococcus spp. (35.71%), Bacillus cereus (28.57%), Salmonella spp. (21.42%) and Escherichia coli (14.28%) in bacterial isolates. Among the fungal isolates, Rhizopus spp. (15.15%) was the most prevalent, followed by Aspergillus spp. (9.09%) and Mucor spp. (6.06%). The presence of both bacteria and fungi indicates diverse contamination sources in canned tomato products, likely exacerbated by compromised storage or packaging integrity. The study also found that pre-enriched samples yielded more microorganisms than direct cultures, suggesting that canned foods may contain injured or suppressed microorganisms capable of proliferating under favorable conditions. These findings emphasized the importance of microbial testing, even in shelf-stable foods, to prevent spoilage and potential foodborne illnesses. Further research is necessary to better understand the sources of microbial contamination and to develop effective prevention strategies.
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