Bacteriological evaluation of instant noodles stored under sub-optimal conditions from selected markets in Sagamu- Ibafo axis of Ogun State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study evaluated 8 brands of 5 packets each of instant noodles for bacterial load, clinical status, and resistance of the isolates to conventional antibiotics, in addition to pH. These brands were cultured on plate count agar for bacterial enumeration while isolates were challenged on selective media for bacteria of clinical status. The antibiogram was determined using standard methods. The pH varied from acidic (4.92) as shown in GPJ 3 to closely neutral (6.94) as recorded in HWJ 2. TTJ1 had the lowest average bacteria count of 1.6 x 103 while BFJ5 with 6.3 x 105 counts was the highest. Prevalence of isolates of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa varied in the ratio 40:30:30. Of the 40 samples, 8 of the 16 Escherichia coli were resistant to gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, and Augmentin, 7 of the 12 Staphylococcus aureus elicited resistance to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole while 8 of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa were resistant to meropenem, cotrimoxazole, Augmentin, and cephalexin. Presence of bacteria of clinical status, in counts that exceeded recommended safe limits for ready-to-eat noodles and higher numbers of resistant isolates to the antibiotics appropriated, could be attributed to product storage under sub-optimal conditions which portend a public health risk.