An analysis of the microflora of broken eggs used in confectionery products in Negeria and the occurrence of enterotoxigenic Gram-negative bacteria☆

Abstract A total of 625 bacterial isolates from 300 broken eggs obtained in a Benin City market were characterised and identified. They were found to be strains of Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Proteus spp., Klebsiella spp., Alcaligenes spp., Bacillus spp., Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis. Klebsiella, S. Aureus and Alcaligenes were found to be the predominant organisms. Toxigenicity tests using the rabbit ileal-loop method revealed that 15% of the 40 E. coli isolates, 10% of 120 Klebsiella isolates, 12.5% of 80 Proteus isolates and 4% of 100 Alcaligenes isolates were toxigenic. Using the suckling mouse test, 3 E. coli isolates, 7 Klebsiella isolates, 3 Proteus isolates and 2 Alcaligenes isolates were found to possess heat stable (ST) enterotoxin. The implication of the use of broken eggs in confectionery products in Benin City is discussed.

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