The effects of preservation methods on the microbial loads of D. edulis (African Pear) fruits and the prevalence of potential human pathogens were investigated. Various treatments were used ranging from dipping in (1) 75 percent ethanol (2) 10 percent NaCl (3) 10 percent woodash solution (4) refrigeration while the control was left untreated. Refrigeration had the longest inhibitory effect on spoilage organisms followed by woodash and NaCl solution. The effects of ethanol only lasted waned off after the three days due to evaporation while the NaCl treated pfruits had gummy surface. Combination of refrigeration with woodash and NaCl respectively prolonged preservation up to 14 days. Statistical analysis showed significant influence of the treatment methods (P=0.05)on the microbial loads. Total heterotrophic bacterial counts were higher than total fungal counts which in turn were higher than total coliforms and total heamolytic bacterial counts. The last two groups og organisms had no significant difference all through the study period in all treatment methods Potential human pathogens observed were Staphylococcus aureus, Baccillus, Pseudomonas and Enterobacter species. The least prevalent was Enterobacter while the highest was Baccilus species. These organisms were both heamolytic and coagulase positive.
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