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MICROBIOLOGY AND NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF AN EDIBLE LARVA ( BUNAEA ALCINOE STOLL) OF THE NIGER DELTA
Author(s) -
AMADI E.N.,
OGBALU O.K.,
BARIMALAA I.S.,
PIUS M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4565.2005.00577.x
Subject(s) - micrococcus , larva , staphylococcus aureus , biology , composition (language) , food science , microbiology and biotechnology , population , staphylococcus , bacteria , bacillus (shape) , ecology , medicine , philosophy , genetics , environmental health , linguistics
The microbial load and nutritional composition of the Bunaea alcinoe larvae were investigated. The bacterial population of the skin and intestinal content were 8.16 × 10 6 and 5.70 × 10 5 cfu/g while the fungal populations were 2.07 × 10 6 and 1.32 × 10 6 cfu/g, respectively. Twenty bacterial isolates belonging to the genera Staphylococcus , Bacillus , Micrococcus and Acinetobacter were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus occurred on both the skin and intestinal content. The nutritional composition of the larvae revealed high protein (55%) followed by fat (25%). Total available carbohydrate, moisture and ash were 4, 8 and 8%, respectively. The public health implication of the presence of S. aureus is highlighted. B. alcinoe larva is a rich source of protein and can be recommended in the diet of communities where protein is scarce or expensive.