EFFICACY OF DIFFERENT PROCESSING ADDITIVES ON MICROBIAL LOADS AND ANTIBIOTIC SENSITIVITY PARTERN OF GIANT AFRICAN LAND SNAIL (ARCHACHATINA MARGINATA)

Abstract

Fifteen samples of Archachatina marginata were collected from Melege village, Ose local Government area, Ondo State, Nigeria. The foot and head were analysed microbiologically for bacterial loads before and after processing with five cleansing additives: Lime, Alum, Vinegar, Salt and Ash. Lime proved most effective reagent for decontaminating snail meats, it had the highest reduction of microbial load after processing (57.1%). The mean microbial load on the head ranged between 9-22cfu/cm² before and 4-12 cfu/cm² after processing, while foot, ranged between 13-19 cfu/cm² beforeand 8-14 cfu/cm² after processing. Eight isolates belonging to nine genera including Micrococcus luteus [10 (21.31%)] most predominant, followed by Escherichia coli [8(13.11%)], and least was Enterobacterspp [4(6.56%)] respectively. The presence of higher numbers of pathogenic Klebsiellaspp and E.coli among others, encountered in A.marginata is alarming and indicates public health hazard, a warning signals for possible occurrence of food borne infection. The antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the bacterial isolates showed that all the bacteria isolated were susceptible to Gentamicin (GEN), only P. vulgaris and Bacillus spp are susceptible to Ceftazidime (CAZ) and Cloxacillin (CXC) respectively and all are resistant to Ampicillin (AMP).