Isolation And Identification Of Bacteria Associated With Food Samples From Different Vendors In Eruwa, Oyo State Nigeria

Publication Details

Publication Date

10/09/2026

Volume / Issue

Vol 1, Issue 4 (2026)

Article No.

032

Journal

British Journal of Contemporary Research

DOI

https://doi.org/10.67693/BJCR-NAJPNXNP

Received

10 Aug 2026

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5

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0

Abstract

Objective: Ready-to-eat foods are important sources of affordable nutrition but may become contaminated during preparation and handling. This study investigated the bacterial contaminants associated with ready-to-eat foods (rice, beans, and yam) sold by selected food vendors in Eruwa, Oyo State, Nigeria, to assess their microbiological safety and potential public health risks. Results: Food samples were aseptically collected from three randomly selected vendors. Nineteen bacterial isolates were recovered and identified using standard morphological and biochemical methods. The isolates comprised Escherichia coli (8; 42.1%), Staphylococcus aureus (6; 31.6%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (2; 10.5%), Citrobacter freundii (2; 10.5%), and Klebsiella aerogenes (1; 5.3%). The predominance of E. coli indicates possible faecal contamination resulting from poor hygiene, contaminated water, or improperly washed raw ingredients. The presence of Staphylococcus spp. and other opportunistic bacteria further suggests inadequate food handling and poor personal hygiene among vendors. These findings demonstrate that ready-to-eat foods sold in Eruwa are susceptible to bacterial contamination and may pose significant public health risks. Improved food safety practices, regular vendor training, routine inspections, and enhanced consumer awareness are recommended to reduce the incidence of food borne diseases.

License

This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License . Free to read, share, and adapt with attribution.