Abstract

Microbiological risk assessment of kunnu sold in Ilorin metropolis and therapeutic effect of methanolic extract of A. indica against sanitary indicator bacteria isolated from it was evaluated. Antibiotic susceptibility pattern and invitro therapeutic efficacy of Azadirachta indica stem extract was determined. This study indicated that the Kunnu samples were grossly contaminated with high plate count of 7.2 x 106 cfu/ml. Total Salmonella/Shigella plate count, Listeria monocytogenes counts, Total Staphylococcal count, total coliform count and E.coli were ranged between (12x101 – 7.6 x 103) cfu/ml, (4.8x102 – 25x104)cfu/ml, (9.4x101 – 1.0x104)cfu/ml (0.30x102 – 1.36x105)cfu/ml and (0.21x101 – 27x103)cfu/ml respectively. Erythromycin, Gentamycin, Cephalosporin, Ciprofloxacin and Chloramphenicol showed high level of antimicrobial activity against the tested isolates, while they displayed about 40% resistance to Penicillin, Streptomycin, Bacitracin, and Ampicillin. Methanolic extract of A. Indica stem showed inhibitory activity against all the bacterial isolates in which diameter of zone of inhibition, MIC and MBC ranged between 15-28mm, 3.125-50mg/ml and 3.125-100mg/ml respectively. E.coli showed highest zone of inhibition of 28mm with 3.125mg/ml and 6.25mg/ml of MIC and MBC respectively while pseudomonas sp showed lowest zone of inhibition of 15mm and 50-100mg/ml for MIC and MBC respectively. Control of both pathogens and spoilage bacteria in kunnu becomes important in order to produce food that when properly handled and stored, will have a long shelf life and reduce the incidence of food borne diseases.