ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNGI FROM ROASTED MEAT (SUYA) SOLD ACROSS BENIN METROPOLIS

 ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to isolate and characterize fungi in roasted meat (suya) sold in Benin City, Edo State. Twelve (12) samples of the suya was obtained at each sampling point, labelled and transported to the laboratory in sterile aluminium foil papers to avoid further contamination. One gram of the suya sample obtained from each sampling point was mashed and serial dilutions were made up to 10^-3 for each prepared sample. From 10^-3 dilution tube, an aliquot of 0.1ml was transferred to petri plate by pour plate method on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA).  The fungal population was isolated, characterized and identified.  Fungal Isolates were identified based on their cultural and morphological characteristics. The fungi isolated were identified to include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, penicillium italicum, Rhizopus sp.  and Fusarium oxysporium. The mean count on PDA range from 1.67x10⁴ cfu/g to 1.03x10⁵ cfu/g . while on SDA it range from 1.67x10⁴ cfu/g to 8.00 x10⁴cfu/g. The least count were obtained from Egor L.G.A while the highest count were obtained from Oredo L.G.A. This study concluded that roasted meat was heavily contaminated with fungi, especially the pathogenic ones indicating that the roasted meat (suya) product was not adequately processed and may have been done in unsanitary conditions. The presence of toxigenic microorganisms indicates that the meat product is unsafe for human consumption. Promoting this product quality and enhancing it nutritional and health advantages are therefore important.