Determination of Microbial Pathogens and its Abundance in Fresh Kunun-Zaki Drinks: Huge Threat to Public Health

This study investigated the presence and abundance of microbial pathogens in fresh locally produced, packaged and distributed kunun-zaki drinks. A total of 20 samples were randomly purchased from 20 vendors and hawkers. Each of the samples obtained was tenfold serially diluted using sterile peptone water. From the appropriate dilutions, 0.1ml were removed and spread plated on Salmonella-Shigella agar, Mannitol salt agar, and Eosin methylene blue agar plates. The inoculated plates were then incubated at 37°C for 24 hours. This study found that of the 20 kunun-zaki samples investigated, 70% were contaminated by Staphylococcus aureus which ranged from 1.0x104 to 1.21x105 (CFU/ml). Salmonella spp ranged from 1.2x104 to 4.1x104 (CFU/ml), and contaminated 60% of the samples. Escherichia coli ranged from 0.2x104 to 1.1x104 (CFU/ml) and was found in 45% of the samples. The result showed that the locally produced, packaged and distributed kunun-zaki drinks were highly contaminated by foodborne microbial pathogens and it makes it unsafe for human consumption. It further showed that public health is put at risk when unsafe locally produced kunun-zaki beverage is consumed; hence, local producers and Agencies saddled with the responsibility to monitor, supervise and certify food safety must strictly ensure the protection of consumers and public health by insisting that traditional methods of production, packaging and distribution of kunun-zaki drinks follow, maintain and sustain standards that guarantee quality, safety and accessibility. Consumers must resist the urge to purchase kunun-zaki drinks from unverified sources; producers, vendors and hawkers.