Microbiological assessment of sliced watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) in Oyo, Nigeria

Abstract

Twelve different samples of packaged watermelon were purchased from twelve vendors in Oyo and they were assessed to determine their microbiological quality. A total of 50 isolates comprising of both bacterial and fungi were obtained from water melon samples. The isolates were Bacillus spp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella aerogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Lactobacillus spp, Mucor spp, Rhizopus stolonifer and Saccharomyces spp. The total bacterial count ranged from 0.3-2.9 X 104 cfu/g while the fungal count ranged from 0.5-3.1 X 104 cfu/g. The pH of the water melon samples ranged between 6.40-6.72.It is safe that good hygienic practices must be ensured especially in the selling of sliced fruits to minimize the diseases that are associated with fruits