Contaminated Condition of Commercial Blenders and their Contact Surface in the Local Market in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria

Grinding or milling is a size reduction exercise in which pre-prepared food condiments are completely reduced to flour or powder (dry grinding) or paste (wet grinding). Different models of grinding machines are found scattered all over Port Harcourt metropolis. This study investigated the sanitary quality of manual and mechanical blenders. Standard microbiological procedures were adopted. The Mean Heterotrophic counts ranged from Log10 CFU/5cm2 4.2 - 5.1, for manuel blender and its contact surfaces while the mechanical blenders and its contact surfaces had counts ranging from: Log10 CFU/5cm2. 4.2 - 4.8. The predominant bacterial species were Staphylococcus sp. Salmonella sp., Escherichia coli, Bacillus sp, Aeromonas sp, Micrococcus sp., Enterobacter sp., Shigella sp., Protues sp. Klebsiella sp. Citrobacter sp and Serratia sp., while the fungal species isolated were Aspergillus niger, Fusarium sp. Penicillium sp. and Sacharomyces sp. Gram positive and negative bacteria showed variable degrees of resistance and susceptibility to the various antibiotics used. Cleaning of commercial blenders before and after use should be encouraged and the importance of health education and awareness on personal hygiene should be encouraged in our local communities, so as to minimize the spread of possible food borne pathogens.