Title: Sachet And Repackaged Powdered Milk Sold In Ughelli, Delta State: A Potential Reservoir For Bacteria Pathogens
Authors: Ehiwario N.J., Eromosele E.O., Okobia U.B., Orogu J.O., Obiebi P.O., Ekeogu M.N., Agbamuche R
Volume: 9
Issue: 5
Pages: 28-36
Publication Date: 2025/05/28
Abstract:
The sachet or repackaged powdered milk are used for the production of infant foods, bakery products, ice cream, cheese, custards and drinking of coffee or tea. This study aims to examine the bacteriological quality of sachet and repackaged powdered milk sold in markets and supermarkets in Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria. A total of forty (40) samples comprising of twenty each, for branded sachet and repackaged powdered milk samples purchased from supermarkets and four different markets all in Ughelli. The BTVC for the sachet powdered milk samples ranges from 8.4x104 cfu/g to 3.0x104 cfu/g which is below the CAC acceptable limit and repackaged powdered milk samples ranges from 3.0x105 cfu/g to 2.3x105 cfu/g which is higher than the CAC standard while coliforms were absent from all the samples examined. The bacteria isolated from the repackaged powdered milk include Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Listeria monocytogenes, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and Alcaligenes faecalis. The study revealed that for the repackaged powdered milk samples, Staphylococcus aureus has the highest occurrence of 13(30.2%) followed by Streptococcus pyogenes 9(20.9%) while the least was Salmonella typhi and Alcaligenes faecalis 3(7.0%) each. The presence of these microorganisms suggest that the repackaged powdered milk samples have been contaminated as a result of poor personal hygiene from the food handlers, retailers, the repackaging materials and dust particles in the markets where the milk are sold. This implies that consuming the contaminated powdered milk poses potential health risks to the consumers and may lead to food borne illnesses.