Effect of Wrapping Materials on the Microbial Quality of some Street Vended Ready- to - Eat Rice

In many parts of Africa especially in Nigeria, ready-to-eat rice is commonly sold in several locations within the big cities and villages. In this study, one hundred samples of ready-to-eat rice were analyzed in some selected areas in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. The effects of wrapping materials on the microbial quality of the rice samples were determined from seven different locations. The total bacterial counts ranged from 5.66 to 7.30 log10 cfu/g ,total coliform counts ranged from 5.07 to 7.33 log10 cfu/g and total fungal counts ranged from 5.19 to 6.03 log10 cfu/g. The b acterial species isolated from these samples were Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella pneumonia and Staphylococcus aureus while the fungal species isolated include Aspergillus fumigatus, Mucor spp., and Penicillium sp. Factors such as improper storage as well as handling of the wrapping-materials of the food coupled with the attitude and practices of the vendors are likely to be responsible for the growth of these microorganisms. It was also discovered that improper cooking may contribute to microbial growth. Provision and enforcement of strict hygienic practices would go a long way in improving the quality of the ready-to-eat foods.