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Bacterial populations in complementary foods and drinking water in households with children 10–15 months old in Pemba Island, Tanzania
Author(s) -
Kung'u Jacqueline K,
Boor Kathryn J,
Ame Shaali M,
Ali Nadra S,
Jackson Anna E,
Stoltzfus Rebecca J
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.22.1_supplement.873.8
Subject(s) - tanzania , bacteria , aerobic bacteria , food science , coliform bacteria , biology , enterobacteriaceae , toxicology , geography , escherichia coli , biochemistry , gene , genetics , environmental planning
of complementary foods in resource poor settings has been associated with diets that are microbiologically unsafe. Bacteria were therefore quantified in samples of drinking water and in two porridges prepared for infant feeding [fortified instant soy rice porridge (SRP) and cooked porridge ( Lishe bora , LB)] in 54 households. Bacterial numbers were measured again after the porridges had been held at room temperature for 4 h (T4). Bacterial numbers in these porridges were benchmarked against those in traditional complementary foods sampled from 120 households. Total bacteria, coliform, and enterobacteriaceae were enumerated using Petrifilm™. Geometric mean log bacterial numbers were lowest for LB at T0 (2.24±0.84 CFU/g aerobic counts) and highest for SRP at T4 (4.63±0.56 CFU/g aerobic counts). Total bacteria were higher at T4 than T0 for both LB (p<0.001) and SRP (p=1.000). Although total bacteria in drinking‐water were significantly lower than in SRP4 (p=0.002) or in traditional complementary foods (p=0.001), they were not significantly different from SRP0 (p=0.543). We therefore recommend addressing food safety concerns in improving complementary foods.