Microbiological Assessment of Groundnut Paste Sold in Jimeta Markets, Yola, Adamawa State Nigeria

Groundnut paste is frequently associated with food-borne illness due to contamination traceable to food handlers, processing materials as well as environmental conditions and this therefore necessitated the microbiological quality examination of groundnut paste. The percentage occurrence of bacteria isolates and moisture content were determined using standard laboratory techniques. The percentage moisture content of the groundnut pastes was between the range of 0.8% and 4.8%. Total bacteria count fell between 1.8 ×1014 and 12.4 × 1014CFU/mL with organisms such as Proteus species (spp.), Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Salmonella spp., Klebsiella spp., Stapylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella spp., Alcaligenes faecalis and Enterobacter spp. isolated. Total fungal count was between 2×107 and 4×107CFU/mL with identified organisms such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus spp. and Penicillium spp. Proteus spp. was the most prevalent with a percentage of 19.23 % while Escherichia coli, Alcaligenes faecalis and Enterobacter spp. showed the least prevalence of 3.85%. The results also show that fungi species spreads across all the samples with Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus obtained in two of the samples, Rhizopus spp. in three other samples while Penicillum spp. were obtained in four samples. It is apparent from the result of this study that the groundnut paste examined were highly contaminated with microbial isolates sufficient enough to be a public health hazard in Jimeta markets and Adamawa State at large, therefore caution must be applied in its uses and consumption. Keywords: Groundnut paste; Food; Contamination; Bacteria; Fungi; Percentage occurrence.