NUTRITIONAL QUALITY AND MICROBIAL EVALUATION OF READY TO EAT PUFF-PUFF OBTAINED FROM MALETE

This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional quality and microbiological safety of ready- to-eat puff-puff sold in Malete, Kwara State, to ascertain its compliance with food safety standards and its potential public health implications. The specific objectives were to determine the proximate composition (crude protein, fat, fibre, ash, moisture, and carbohydrate content), quantify the total heterotrophic bacterial counts, Salmonella-Shigella counts, and total coliform counts, and morphologically and biochemically characterize the predominant bacterial isolates from the sampled puff-puff. Three samples of freshly prepared puff-puff were collected from different vendors in Malete. Standard analytical methods (AOAC) were employed for the proximate composition analysis. Microbiological evaluation was performed using serial dilution and plating techniques on appropriate culture media: Nutrient Agar for total heterotrophic bacterial count, Salmonella-Shigella Agar for Salmonella-Shigella count, and MacConkey Agar for total coliform count. Distinct bacterial colonies were sub-cultured and characterized based on their morphological and biochemical properties. The proximate analysis revealed that carbohydrates were the most abundant component (52.56 - 55.65%), followed by moisture (18.63 - 20.61%), crude fat (10.62 - 14.58%), and crude protein (9.04 - 10.04%). Ash and crude fibre contents were low (1.53 - 1.84%). Microbiological results indicated significant microbial contamination. The total heterotrophic bacterial count ranged from 1.36 × 10⁴ to 6.25 × 10³ CFU/g. Notably, Salmonella-Shigella count on all samples ranged from (2.05 × 10³ to 4.50 × 10³ CFU/g). Total coliform counts varied widely (3.18 × 10⁴ to 5.80 × 10³ CFU/g), with one sample showing no detectable coliform growth. Characterization of the bacterial isolates identified a diverse array of organisms, including Micrococcus spp, Shigella spp, Citrobacter spp, Enterobacter spp, Escherichia coli, Proteus spp, and Aeromonas spp, indicating multiple sources of contamination. The puff-puff samples are energy-dense but are poor sources of protein and fibre. The high microbial loads, particularly the presence of pathogenic and indicator organisms such as Shigella spp, Escherichia coli, and other coliforms in the samples, indicate a severe breach of food safety practices and pose a significant risk of foodborne illness to consumers. This highlights an urgent need for improved hygiene, handling, and storage protocols among puff-puff vendors in Malete.