Fruits are essential elements of a balanced diet required for good health maintenance. This is because they serve as sources of essential vitamins and other elements essential for good health. Hence, this study is aimed at the isolation and identification of microorganisms associated with the spoilage of Banana and Mango. A total number of eighteen (18) samples were collected. Three (3) Mango and Banana samples were obtained from different vendors at three (3) different places at General Hospital Aliero Gate, Aliero Abattoir and along Labana junction Aliero, Kebbi State, Nigeria. Gram staining and biochemical characterization of the Bacterial Isolates were carried out, in which five (5) species of bacteria were isolated from the spoilt banana and mango obtained. Identified as Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Salmonella, Streptococcus, and Proteus. Three (3) bacterial isolates were isolated from the Banana sample: Staphylococcus aureus 66.8%, Corynebacterium spp 16.6%, and Salmonella typhi 16.6%. While mango has five (5) bacteria isolate namely Streptococcus spp (33.6%), Staphylococcus spp (16.6%), Proteus spp (16.6%), Salmonella spp (16.6%) and Corynebacterium spp (16.6%). Staphylococcus spp was the most dominant with (66.8%) for banana sample, while Streptococcus spp was the most dominant in mango sample with (33.6%). However, Mango had more isolated bacterial species compared to banana. This is so because of the high moisture content of water in mango. The mould isolated from the spoiled fruits; Aspergillus spp and Rhizpous spp are identified. The highest occurring was Aspergillus specie 83.7% in banana and 50.2% in mango. The yeast isolated from both fruits was Saccharomyces spp. Therefore, the study concluded that these microorganisms could possibly gain entrance into fruits through faecal contaminated water and manure, poor handling practices during harvesting, grading and packaging. Environmental contaminants, poor sanitation in Aliero town, could also lead to the contamination of the fruits.
Key words: Fruit spoilage, Banana, Mango, Comparative study
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