Full Length Research Paper

Comparative studies and microbial risk assessment of different water samples used for processing frozen sea-foods in Ijora-olopa, Lagos State, Nigeria

Okonko, Iheanyi Omezuruike¹*, Ogunjobi, Adeniyi Adewale², Adejoye, Oluseyi Damilola³, Ogunnusi, Tolulope Adeola², and Olasogba Mojisola Clara⁴

¹Virology Department of Virology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Ibadan College of Medicine, University college Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. WHO Regional Reference Polio Laboratory, WHO Collaborative Centre for Arbovirus Reference and Research, WHO National Reference Centre for Influenza.

²Enviromental Microbiology and Biotechnology Unit, Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

³Department of Biological Sciences, Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu-Ode, Nigeria.

⁴Applied Microbiology Unit, Department of Botany and Microbiology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author.  E -mail: mac2finney@yahoo.com.

Accepted 1 July, 2008

This study reports the comparative studies and microbial risk assessment of different water samples used for processing frozen sea-foods in Ijora-olopa, Lagos State, Nigeria. Twelve different samples of well, tap, borne-hole, river water used for processing frozen sea-foods were collected from different processing shops in Ijora-olopa, Lagos. These water samples were microbiologically analyzed for the presence of microorganisms. Total plate counts and total coliform counts were enumerated using Plate Count Agar (PCA) and Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar, respectively. The total count of most the water samples ranges between 0.48 x 10² and 2.04 x 10² CFU/ml, exceeding the limit of 1.0 x 10² CFU/ml. The coliform counts per 100 ml of water samples ranged between 15 and 184 cells. Fifteen (15) isolates were characterized from the samples on PCA with percentage of occurrence of different microorganisms characterized as follows: Bacillus cereus (33.3%), Enterobacter aerogenes (33.3%), Flavobacterium sp. (13.3%), Micrococcus sp. (6.7%), Pseudomonas aerugionosa (6.7%) and Staphylococcus auerus (6.7%). Some of these organisms are of public health significance. Studies show the possibilities of survival of pathogenic microorganisms during water treatment/seafood processing. Therefore, stringent quality assurance measures should be put in order to safe guard the health of the consumers.   

Key words: Coliform count, microorganisms, microbiological quality, quality assurance, processing, seafood, total count.