ABSTRACT
Bacterial contamination of locally produced drinks is a significant public health concern worldwide. These beverages, which encompass a variety of products such as fruit based drinks, herbal teas, fermented drinks, and homemade brews, are often prepared in unregulated or informal settings, making them susceptible to microbial contamination. This study was carried out to isolate Escherichia coli associated with locally produced drinks. Standard bacteriological methods were used to determine the total bacterial count of the drink samples using pour plate methods after serial dilution. The isolates of bacteria were discovered and characterized using morphological and biochemical methods. The percentage distribution and frequency of the isolates were evaluated using statistical method. The result obtained showed the bacteria population in the samples ranging from 4.14log10 cfu/ml to 4.82log10 cfu/ml. Using the standard microbiological methods (cultural, morphological, biochemical and sugar fermentation test) the isolates obtained in this study were Enterobacter sp, Bacillus sp, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The isolates discovered in this study were subjected to antibiotic profiling, the result obtained showed that isolates were susceptible to gentamycin, ciprofloxacin and erythromycin but were resistant multiple antibiotics namely clindamycin, collistin, cephalosporin, metronidazole and tetracyclin. The multiple antibiotic resistant index revealed that all isolates were multiple resistant isolates with their index ranging above 0.2. The presence of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter species, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus species in locally produced drinks highlights the need for robust quality control measures, strict adherence to hygiene practices, and antimicrobial stewardship in beverage production facilities.
