Microbial Assessment of Foods and Currencies from Street Food Vendors and Antibiotic Resistance Profile of Isolates

Aims: Street food vendors handle money and food simultaneously, creating possibilities of cross contamination. This study focused on determining the microbial loads of street vended foods and currency denominations received as change; identify and determine the antibiotics resistance profile of the isolates.

Materials and Methods: Four Street vended food samples and currency (10 - 500 Naira) notes from four vendors (FV) were collected. Microbial loads of food and money, biochemical analyses for identification of isolates and antibiotic resistance profile of the isolates were performed using standard methods.

Results: Total viable count (TVC) value ranged from (1.0×107 to 1.7×108 CFU/g); Staphylococcal (5.8×106 to 1.6×107 CFU/g), Salmonella-Shigella (NG to 1.2×107 CFU/g) and Coliform (no growth) from FV1. TVC ranged from (4.2×106 to 2.0×107 CFU/g); Staphylococcal (1.2×106 to 2.0×107 CFU/g), Salmonella-Shigella (1.6×106 to 1.1×107 CFU/g) and Coliform (NG to 1.5×105 CFU/g) from FV2. From FV3 TVC ranged from (9.3×106 to 4.6×107 CFU/g); Staphylococcal (1.9×106 to 5.1×106 CFU/g), Salmonella-Shigella (1.3×106 to 5.9×106 CFU/g) and Coliform (5.0×103 to 1.0×106 CFU/g). FV4 load ranged from (2.8×106 to 1.3×108 CFU/g); Staphylococcal (1.7×106 CFU/g to TNTC), Salmonella-Shigella (NG to 5.7×107 CFU/g) and Coliform (6.5×104 to 6.8×105 CFU/g). Eleven genera were identified from food and currencies including: Staphylococcus, Klebsiella, Escherichia coli and Enterobacter. Organisms showed varied resistance patterns to the different antibiotics screened. The percent resistance for Ampicillin and Ciprofloxacin were (87.5%), Ofloxacin (61.5%), Ceftazidime, Gentamicin and Amoxycillin/Clavulanate were (53.8%).

Conclusion: In conclusion, there are possibilities of cross contamination between food and currencies making the safety of consuming the foods a public health concern.