Risk assessment for the occurrence of Escherichia coli 0157:H7 in indigenous fermented milk (Lee Naga a Agbora) produced in Uganda

Different types of indigenous fermented milks are widely consumed in pastoralist communities of Africa, including Uganda. Local processing of milk generally takes place under uncontrolled hygienic conditions. Lee naga a agbora, a locally fermented milk product in northern Uganda, was evaluated for microbial contamination. The changes in pH, Total Plate Counts (TPC), Total Coliforms (TC), yeasts and moulds, and Escherichia coli 0157:H7, particularly its survival during different stages of  fermentation were studied. The pH was found to decrease with fermentation time (6.54 to 4.54). E. coli was detected in most samples of Lee naga a agbora and its occurrence was observed throughout the fermentation period. The mean value of TPC (6.60± 0.10 log cfu ml-1) at the start of fermentation was significantly different (p 0.05) between 48 and 72 hours. The rate of decrease in TC counts in the initial fermentation period (0 to 48 hours) was lower than the later stages of fermentation (48 to 144 hours). Yeast and mould counts increased with fermentation time (6.20 to 7.42 log cfu ml-1). On the whole, there is risk associated with consumption of Lee naga a agbora given the occurrence of E. Coli.