ASSESSING THE SHELF LIFE OF COMMONLY SOLD FRUIT SALAD IN UNIVERSITY OF BENIN

ABSTRACT

Over the years, there has been a remarkable increase in the consumption of ready to eat fruit salad. The high nutritional value of fruit salad made it to be prone to microbial spoilage. Hence, this study was aimed at assessing the microbial quality and shelf life of ready to eat fruit salad stored at different temperature. Fruit salad samples with or without milk were purchased from various vendors around the University of Benin, Benin City and its environs. The samples were transported to the laboratory and stored in a plastic plates at temperature of 4 and 28 ± 2 oC . The samples were analyzed every 3 h for 24h. The analyses carried out were microbial counts, identification, virulence factors and antibiotics susceptibility test of isolates. The result showed that at 24 h the highest bacterial count (257.50 ± 3.53 x 104 cfu/g) was from fruit salad sample stored at 28 ± 2°C while the least bacterial count (5.50 ± 2.12 x104cfu/g) from fruit salad sample with milk stored at 4°C .At 24 h the highest fungal count ( 112.00 ± 3.53 x104 cfu/g) was from fruit salad sample with milk at 4°C while the least fungal count ( 11.00 ±1.41 x104 cfu/g) was from fruit salad sample with milk stored at 4°C. The identified bacterial isolates were Chromobacterium violaceum, S. aureus, Micrococcus spp, Enterobacter spp, Serretia spp, Citrobacter spp, E. faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Lactobacillus spp, Corynebacterium spp, Salmonella spp and E.coliwhile the identified fungal isolates were Aspergillus flavus, F. incanatum, F. oxysporium, Penicillum spp and S. cerevisiae . Bacterial and fungal isolates with the highest frequency of occurrence were Chromobacterium violaceum and Citrobacter spp also E. faecalis with values 22.95% and 1.64% respectively. The highest virulent factor of 100% was from Micrococcus spp and Citrobacter spp.The MAR index of the isolates showed that E. faecalis had the highest value of 0.8 while the least 0.1was from Micrococcus spp and E.coli. In conclusion this study showed that fruit salad sold in the University of Benin are not safe for consumption after the 6th hour both in fridge and at atmospheric temperature. Certain practices like poor food handling, poor hygiene and cross contamination from utensils could contribute to the contamination of the fruit salad.