ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF BACTERIA IN PINEAPPLE FRUIT

ABSTRACT

Pineapples are a crucial component of human diet because they are a primary source of several vital elements. The objective of this experiment is to isolate, characterize, and identify the microorganisms responsible for pineapple fruit deterioration. Sliced pineapple samples from the June 12, Ekosodin, Jara supermarket, and a control sample from Benin city was prepared and cultured in the laboratory. While the mean counts from the Macconkey agar ranged from 28.0 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 9.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g, those from the nutrient agar ranged from 47.6 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 1.4 x 10 -4 cfu/g. The control sample yielded the lowest count, whereas Ekosodin yielded the highest count for day zero. While the mean counts from the Macconkey agar ranged from 65.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 54.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g, those from the nutrient agar ranged from 51.0 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 6.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g. The count from June 12 was the lowest, and the count from Ekosodin was the highest for day one. While the mean counts from the Macconkey agar ranged from 65.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 54.3 x 10-4 cfu/g, those from the nutrient agar ranged from 51.0 x 10 -4 cfu/g to 6.3 x 10 -4 cfu/g. The count from June 12 was the lowest, and the count from Ekosodin was the highest for day two. The samples were subjected to a bacterial investigation for enumeration and identification. The presence of Citrobacter sp., Bacillus sp., and Escherichia coli was determined based on culture, morphological, and biochemical traits. Bacillus sp. showed resistance, with Pefloxacin showing the highest level of resistance. The three bacteria Klebsiella sp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Citrobacter sp. all showed resistance, with Ciprofloxacin showing the most resistance. Tarivid was the drug against which Klebsiella sp. displayed the strongest resistance. Fresh-cut pineapple must be prepared with the utmost care in order to maintain and improve its microbiological quality.