IJFSNPHT 2018 Volume 10 Issue 3

International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, Public Health and Technology (IJFSNPHT) ISSN: 0975 – 8712

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Ma. Cristina SJ Liwanag, & Gil P. Soriano. (2018). Bacterial Load of Fresh Vegetables Sold in a Selected Public Market and their Susceptibility to Commonly Used Antibiotics. International Journal of Food Safety, Nutrition, Public Health and Technology (IJFSNPHT) ISSN: 0975 – 8712, 10(3), 18–25. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1488388

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Title:

Bacterial Load of Fresh Vegetables Sold in a Selected Public Market and their Susceptibility to Commonly Used Antibiotics

Authors & Affiliation:

Ma. Cristina SJ Liwanag1 and Gil P. Soriano2

1 School of Medical Technology, Centro Escolar University

2 College of Nursing, San Beda University

tina_medtech@yahoo.com, gil.p.soriano@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:

The World Health Organization (WHO) has ranked green leafy vegetables as one of the highest priorities among fresh vegetables in terms of microbiological hazards. The study aimed to identify the different microorganisms which can be found on fresh vegetables sold in a selected public market and their susceptibility to commonly used antibiotics. To assess their microbial quality, five lettuce and five cucumber samples each weighing two hundred fifty grams were collected and washed. The washings load for lettuce ranged from 2.50 × 104 – 2.41 × 106 cfu/ml while for cucumber it ranged from 7.00 × 103 – 3.67 × 104 cfu/ml. Enterobacter cloacae (35%) was identified as the most prevalent bacterial species from the samples followed by the following species: Pantoea spp. (22%), Klebsiella pneumonia (14%), and Citrobacter freundii (7%). The antibiotic resistance of isolated organisms was also determined Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter asburiae, Enterobacter cloacae and Enterobacter sakazakii were susceptible to augmentin, impenem, and ampicillin while Klebsiella oxytoca and Klebsiella pneumonia spp showed resistance to augmentin and ampicillin. The bacterial load of all the vegetables tested has exceeded the accepted values set by National Standards of Iran in assessing microbiologic quality of certain fresh vegetables. All organisms isolated from the samples belong to Family Enterobacteriaceae. Most of the isolates showed resistance to ampicillin, augmentin, and imipenem.

Key words: Bacterial Load, Fresh Vegetables, Susceptibility, Antibiotics