ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA SPECIES FROM COOKED FOOD SOLD BY VENDORS AT LEGACY CAMPUS, BENSON IDAHOSA UNIVERSITY, BENIN CITY, NIGERIA.

ABSTRACT

Isolation and identification of bacteria species from cooked food sold by food vendors at Legacy campus, Benson Idahosa University, Nigeria is a research work to access selected foods sold by vendors in the university for bacteria contamination. To know the reasonwhy some students, suffer from food poisoning and food intoxication after consuming the food sold by some vendors. Food safety is the key to good food. A total of 24 food samples (Jollof rice, Egwusi soup, and beans) were randomly purchased from vendors in Benson Idahosa University, Legacy campus, Benin city. The samples were taken to the laboratory where they were bacteriologically analyzed using pour plate, and sub culture method. The pour plate method was done by making serial dilutions of samples, after which 1ml was pipetted from the test tubes into Petri dishes. Nutrient agar, Salmonella Shigella Agar and MacConkey Agar were poured into the plates and allowed to solidify. The plates were later incubated for 24hours at 37°c, after which the growth was examined, and sub culture was made. Some bacterial species were isolated from the food samples. The results obtained from the study revealed that the frequency of isolation of bacteria from Egwusi soup ( 2.9 X 107 cfu/ml) was more than Jollof rice (2.4 X 103 cfu/ml) and beans. The cultural, morphological and biochemical tests revealed the presence of six species of bacteria from the food samples, Salmonella spp, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus  Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella spp and Vibrio spp. The research showed that food sold by vendors are potential vehicles for transmitting food borne illnesses. Hence, food safety strategies should be developed.A