MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF READY–TO–EAT DOG MEAT SOLD IN SOME PARTS OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The Microbiological quality of ready-to-eat dog meat obtained from eight different locations in Jos-North, Jos-South and Pankshin Local Government areas (LGA) of Plateau state was determined in order to ascertain their safety. A total of One hundred ready-to-eat dog meat samples were analyzed. Samples from Pankshin LGA are the most contaminated with a total mean bacterial load of 4.97 x 10⁹ CFU/g, followed by samples from Jos-South LGA (4.07 x 10⁸ CFU/g) and the least being samples from Jos-North LGA (3.88 x 10⁷ CFU/g). Samples from Jos-South LGA have the highest enterobacteriaceae count of 4.25 x 10⁸ CFU/g with the least being samples from Jos-North LGA (2.91 x 10⁷ CFU/g). Staphylococcus aureus is the most predominant isolate with a frequency of occurrence of 76% followed by Escherichia coli (36%). Other bacterial isolates include Salmonella spp (15%), Citrobacter freundii (25%), Proteus vulgaris (10%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (25%), Pseudomonas aeroginosa (8%). Fungal isolates include Aspergillus niger (25%), Trichophyton spp (25%), Penicillium spp (25%), Mucor spp (24%) and Aspergillus fumigates (20%). The high bacterial count and diversity of bacterial and fungal isolates from the dog meat analysed is an indication of its low bacteriological quality and this can make it a potential source of food infection.