Assessment Of Microbiological Quality Of Raw Vegetables Irrigated With Hasassa River, West Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Vegetables Are The Fresh And Edible Portions Of Herbaceous Plants That Provide The Most Important Human Diet That Contains Carbohydrates, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals, And Fiber. In Contrast To Health Benefit, There Was An Increased Frequency Of Pathogen Isolation On Vegetable Products, Which May Lead To Disease In Humans. The Aim Of The Present Study Was To Investigate The Microbial Quality And Evaluate Incidence Of Antimicrobial Resistance Of Bacteria Isolated From Vegetables Irrigated With Hasassa River. Irrigation Water And Vegetable Samples (Carrot, Lettuce, And Garlic) Were Collected From Irrigation Sites And Analyzed For Their Bacteriological Load And Presence Of Any Pathogenic Microbes, Which Their Resistance Pattern Was Detected Following Standard Procedures. Appropriate Serial Dilutions Of The Suspension From 10-4, 10-5 And 10-6 Were Spread-Plated On A Suitable Solid Media For Counts Of Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria, Gram-Negative Enterobacteriaceae And Staphylococci, And Homogenized Samples Were Heated At 80 ?? C For 10 Minutes In A Water Bath To Count Aerobic Spore Formers Respectively. The Maximum Overall Mean Counts Of Aerobic Mesophilic Bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Aerobic Spore Formers, Staphylococci, And Total Coliform Counts Were 8.21, 6.58, 6,88, 6.88 Log Cfu Ml???1 And >1100 Mpn 100 Ml???1, Respectively. The Micro???Ora Of Vegetable Samples Was Dominated By Bacillus Species (21.88%) Followed By Corynebacterium Spp (12.5%), Lactobacillus Spp. (12.5%). Staphylococcus Aureus And Salmonella Spp. Were Detected In 21.88% And 15.6% Of The Samples, Respectively. The Result Of Antimicrobial Test Showed That All The Isolates 32(100%) Were Resistant To Penicillin G, 26(81.25%) To Vancomycin, 23(71.9%) To Ampicillin, 15(46.9%) To Chloramphenicol, 15(46.9%) To Erythromycin, And The Least 3(9.4%) To Perfloxacin. The Present Finding Revealed That The Hasassa River Water Used For Irrigation Had A Possible Microbial Contamination That Can Be Transferred Directly Or Indirectly During Pre-Harvest, As Well As Post-Harvest Handling To Fresh Vegetables Which Potentially Constitutes A Health Risk To Consumers. Therefore, Persons Involved In The Production Chain And Consumers Should Be Made Aware That Contaminated Fruits And Vegetables Eaten Raw Could Be Potential Vehicles Of Pathogenic Agents.