Food Processing & Technology

Street vended food though contribute substantially to the diet of the people, it may at the same time, pose potential health risks. The objectives of this study were to identify possible causes of contamination during production, distribution and handling of street vended fried cocoyam chips. Five processing centers in Ipokia local government area, Ogun state, Nigeria were used for the study. 15 samples of raw materials and 27 fried cocoyam samples were aseptically collected from different processors along processing line. The samples were subjected to microbiological analysis. A laboratory prepared sample was used as control. Total plate counts (×104 Cfu/g) for water, vegetable oil and salt were 0.33 to 15.44, 0.33 to 1.00 and 1.00 respectively for processors I, II III and control. Fungal counts (×103 Cfu/g) for vegetable oil and salt were 0.2 to 1 and 1 respectively. Staphylococcus and coliform counts detected in processor I water sample only were 7.33 cfu/g and 8.33 cfu/g respectively. Total plate (×104 Cfu/g) and fungal counts (×103 Cfu/g) were 0.33 to 5.00 and 0.58 to 1.89 respectively for the processing stages for the three processors and control. Staphylococcus count (0.33 to 0.633 cfu/g), Salmonella count (3 to 4 cfu/g) and coliform count (0.67 to 6.67 cfu/g) were detected in processor I. Total plate counts 0.33 to 2.33(×104 cfu/g) were detected in the eight street vended sample and were significantly different at p<0.05. The results of this study indicate that consumption of street vended cocoyam chips produced in unhygienic condition may present an important public health risk.