Microbiological Quality of Packaged and Exposed Cassava, Yam and Plantain Flour Sold in Markets and Supermarkets in Port Harcourt Metropolis, Nigeria

The presence of pathogens in edible flours generally considered as microbiologically safe is a threat to public health. In this study, microbial load of thirty (30) samples of exposed and packaged cassava, plantain and yam flour from open markets and supermarkets were determined. Similar flours were prepared in the laboratory as control. Morphological and molecular characterization methods were adopted in this study. On average, packaged flour samples had lower total fungal count (TFC) and total heterotrophic count (THC) than exposed flour samples. Maximum THC of the flour samples were slightly above 5 log10cfu/g except packaged yam flour (3.91 log10cfu/g). THC, TFC, Bacillus and Staphylococcal count of the control samples range between 4.64-4.72, 2.3-2.6, 2.3-2.8, 3.44-3.53 log10cfu/g, respectively. As for packaged yam, plantain and cassava flours, their TFC range between 3.45-3.55, 2.30-3.10 and 2.15-2.80 log10cfu/g, while THC was 3.70-3.91, 2.0-5.69, 5.48-5.54 log10cfu/g, respectively. Therefore, exposing cassava, plantain and yam flour in open markets should be discouraged and strict good manufacturing practices during flour processing are recommended in order to drastically reduce microbial load in edible flour.