Abstract

Ambode Benjamin, Steve W. E and Bankole D. S

A total of sixty-four samples of four cooked foods from sixteen private primary schools in Akoka area of Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria were investigated for the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria. The area was divided into four zones, namely; Akoka north, Akoka south, Akoka east and Akoka west, using the four cardinal points. Four private primary schools were then selected from each of these zones. The standard plate count revealed that for Akoka North, the summary of the average microbial load for the rice, beans, meat and spaghetti samples are 3.5 × 104 CFU/ml, 6.9 × 104 CFU/ml, 4.9 × 10 4 CFU/ml, and 2.4 × 104 CFU/ml respectively; while the microbial load for similar sample in Akoka south are 2.9 × 104 CFU/ml, 6.8 × 104 CFU/ml, 4.9 × 104 CFU/ml and 2.4 × 104 CFU/ml respectively; whereas in Akoka East it is 3.3 × 10 4 CFU/ml, 4.6 × 104 CFU/ml, 4.6 × 104 CFU/ml and 2.5 × 104 CFU/ml; and in Akoka West, it is 2.9 × 104 CFU/ml, 4.7 ×104 CFU/ml, 4.9 × 104 CFU/ml and 2.2 × 104 CFU/ml. Further examination of the isolates revealed the presence of rod and cocci shaped bacteria. Some of these isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus cereus and these are possible pathogens.