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Post‐processing microflora and the shelf stability of gari marketed in Port Harcourt
Author(s) -
Ofuya C.O.,
Akpoti P.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1988.tb05095.x
Subject(s) - penicillium , clostridium perfringens , food science , mesophile , micrococcus , biology , aspergillus niger , shelf life , bacteria , aspergillus flavus , microbiology and biotechnology , coliform bacteria , genetics
Gari was examined for its post‐processing microbial content. Aerobic mesophilic bacteria and fungi were isolated from all samples. The total viable bacterial counts ranged from 2.0 × 10 2 to 8.0 × 10 4 cfu/g. Fungal counts ranged from 1.0 × 10 2 to 1.5 × 10 4 cfu/g. The total viable counts of fresh samples were much lower than those of market and packaged samples. Bacillus, Micrococcus and Proteus spp. were the bacteria isolated, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium spp. the fungi. Food borne parasites and pathogens such as Staph. aureus and Clostridium perfringens were not found. The gari samples were quite stable, having a shelf life of 3–6 months. The water activities of the samples ranged from 0.52 to 0.68. Based on the microbial counts of the samples, the critical upper limit for the safety of gari was set at 10 4 cfu/g dry sample.