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ABSTRACT
Bacterial contamination of poultry processing platforms is prevalent in Nigeria. Many food borne diseases arise as a result of this contamination with salmonellosis being a major food borne disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacteriological quality of poultry processing platforms in retail outlets and poultry farms located in Benin City. Swab samples of processing platforms were obtained from five retail outlets and poultry farms in Benin City. Bacterial enumeration and isolation were carried out on nutrient agar using the pour plate technique. Cultural, morphological, and biochemical characterization were employed in the identification of the isolates. Antibiotic susceptibility profile of the isolates was determined using the disc diffusion method. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 1.08±2.50 - 1.62±6.50 ×10³ cfu/cm². Following cultural, morphological and biochemical characterization, the bacteria isolated from the samples include Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus varians, Salmonella sp., Staphylococcus sp. and Escherichia coli. The frequency of occurences of the bacterial isolates ranged from 5% (Staphylococcus aureus) to 35% (Micrococcus varians and Staphylococcus sp.). The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of the bacterial isolates showed that all the bacterial isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin while they were all resistant to tetracycline. Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus varians, Salmonella sp. and Staphylococcus sp. were also resistant to colistin except Escherichia coli which was susceptible to colistin. The presence of pathogenic bacteria and variations in antibiotic susceptibility patterns emphasize the need for stringent food safety measures in the poultry industry to protect public health. Further research and proactive measures are necessary to ensure the safety of poultry products and minimize foodborne risks.
