Department of Microbiology

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Microbiological safety assessment of two types of locally made cheese sold in Malete, Kwara State
(2023) Adedayo Majekodunmi Racheal, Shittu Bushola Rukayya, Hammed Bukola
Cheese is a protein rich food with high nutritional benefits. Fulani cheese is a dairy product derived from milk that is produced in a wide range of flavors, textures and forms by coagulation of the milk protein while soy cheese is derived from the coagulation of soya beans milk. The study assesses the microbiological safety of Fulani and soy cheese sold in Malete, Kwara State. The cheese samples were purchased from local sellers in Malete village. Microbial isolation was done through serial dilution and pour plate technique; colonies obtained were identified morphologically and biochemically. The identified bacterial isolates were Salmonella, Enterobacter, Serratia, Klebsiella, Citrobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas and Proteus sp while the fungal isolates were Penicillium, Rhodotorula, Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. Staphylococcus aureus had the highest percentage of occurrence in both cheese samples, followed by Salmonella and Klebsiella species. Most of the bacterial isolates are human pathogenic organisms. The fungal isolated are known food spoilage agents with potential of releasing mycotoxins in food. It was concluded that both Fulani and Soy bean cheese sold in Malete village are contaminated heavily and could pose health threat to consumer.