BACTTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY AND ANTIBIOGRAM OF ISOLATES FROM RAW COW MILK IN LAFIA MARKET TITLE

omatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are one of the most consumed and economically important vegetables worldwide, yet they are highly perishable due to their high moisture content and delicate cellular structure. In Lafia Metropolis, tomatoes are commonly displayed in open markets where handling practices and environmental conditions often favor microbial contamination and rapid spoilage. This research was designed to isolate, identify, and characterize bacteria associated with the spoilage of tomatoes and to evaluate their pathogenic potential on healthy fruits. A total of twenty visibly spoilt tomato samples were randomly collected from four major markets: Modern Market, Old Market, Tomato Market, and Alhamis Market. Standard microbiological techniques were employed to determine the total heterotrophic bacterial counts (THC), isolate pure cultures, and determine the biochemical characteristics of the isolates. The results revealed that the total bacterial counts ranged between 2.9 × 10⁵ CFU/g and 8.8 × 10⁵ CFU/g across the different markets, indicating significant bacterial loads,The frequency of occurrence of the bacterial isolates were Staphylococcus species had the highest frequency occurrence of (20%), klebsiella (15%) and E coli had the least frequency occurrence of (5%) respectively.The dominant bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., and Escherichia coli. These species are known spoilage agents and pose potential public health risks if consumed. Pathogenicity tests demonstrated that the bacterial species could cause noticeable spoilage symptoms when inoculated onto healthy tomato fruits. This finding supports the hypothesis that poor handling, inadequate storage, and unhygienic market environments are significant contributors to post-harvest tomato spoilage. This study recommends the implementation of regular microbial monitoring by relevant health authorities, as well as the exploration of affordable preservation techniques such as refriger