Abstract

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Food is an important basic necessity but its procurement, preparation and consumption are vital for the sustenance of life. Unfortunately it is also a vehicle of disease spread. The aim of this research is to determine the microbial quality of ready- to- eat grasshoppers being sold within Jos and its environs. Two hundred (200) samples were purchased from 10 different locations within Jos and its environs in sterile polythene bags and taken to Microbiology Laboratory of Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi for analysis. These samples were ground separately and lg of each of them was homogenized in 100ml of sterile distilled water. One milliliter from homogenate was introduced into 9ml of sterile distilled water and serially diluted into 9 other test tubes. One milliliter from each of the last test tubes from the ten samples was inoculated into 20ml of nutrient agar and incubated at 37°c for 24hrs.The colonies were characterized using standard microbiological and biochemical methods, lg of each of the samples was inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose and incubated for 18- 72hrs (fungal isolation).The fungal isolates were then characterized based on microscopic appearance. Total of 6 genera of bacteria were isolated such as Bacillus species, Lactobacillus species, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus species, Salmonella species and Esherichia coli. Also, 7 species of fungi were isolated namely, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigates, Trichophyton mentagrophyte, Trichophyton rubrum and Yeast. Both bacteria and fungi isolated are pathogenic and harmful to man because they produce micro toxins. It was concluded that, ready-to-eat grasshopper sold in this study area are unacceptable and unsafe for human consumption.

Keywords: Ready -to-eat, fried grasshopper, food, microbial contaminants, hawkers, Jos