MICROBIAL ANALYSIS OF SUN-DRIED OKRA SAMPLES FROM SOME AKOKO AREAS OF ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

This study investigated the microbial safety of sundried okra fruits from markets in some Akoko towns of Ondo State, Nigeria. The pH of the dried market samples fell between 5.22 and 6.16 while the water activity was between 0.513 and 0.572. Significant differences were also observed in their viscosity. Samples from Ipe-Akoko and the control had the highest and the lowest moisture contents respectively while the lowest and highest crude ash contents were from the same samples. Crude protein contents of the dried samples ranged from 16. 56% to 21.53% while the fresh sample contained 23.03%. Little significant differences were observed in the crude fibre contents of the market samples. The control sample contained 0.73% crude fat contents while the market samples ranged between 2.76% and 4.35%. The carbohydrate contents showed little significant differences among each other but significantly different from the fresh sample. Bacteria isolated from the samples were Bacillus subtilis. Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus cereus, Clostridium spp, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli. Klebsiella pneumuniae, Streptococcus faecalis, Enterobacter aerogenes and Lactobacillus plantarum while the fungi include Rhizopus stolonifer, Aspergillus niger, A. fumigatus, A. flavus, Penicillium, Mucor pusillus and Candida crusei. The total bacterial and the fungal loads of the dry samples ranged from 4.42 log sfu/g to 6.65 log cfu/g, and 3.22 log cfu/g and 4.83 log cfu/g while coliform counts and lactic acid bacterial counts fell between 0.91 log cfu/g and 3.74 log cfu/g, and between 2.72 log cfu/g and 3.6 log cfu/g. This study suggested that dried okra is nutritious but proper hygienic conditions moist be maintained during processing or using controlled drying methods and should be cooked to avoid the risk of ingesting pathogenic microorganisms.