Microbiological Quality of Traditional and Commercial Weaning Foods in Jimma Town, Southwestern Ethiopia

Abstract

Weaning food is normally a semi-solid food that is used in addition to breast milk and not only to replace it and are mostly prepared in the form of thin porridges or gruels. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the Microbiological quality of traditional and commercial weaning foods in Jimma town, southwestern Ethiopia.  Food samples of the boiled milk, atimit and cerifam were tested for the presence of microorganisms. The food samples were tested for the presence of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, staphylococcus, coliform, yeast and mold. The total count  of Aerobic mesophilic bacteria on boiled milk, cerifam and atmit is 2.9×10⁴_, 2.3×10⁴ and 1.3×10⁴ respectively. While total count of Enterobacteriaceae from food samples of boiled milk, cerifam and atmit were 2.7×10⁴, 1.1×10⁴ and 5.1×10³ respectively. Also the total count of Staphylococcus from food samples of boiled milk, cerifam and atmit were 9.3×10³_, 7.8×10³ and 8.7×10³ respectively. Similarly the total count of Coliforms from food samples of boiled milk, cerifam and atmit were 6.3×10³1.5×10^3, and <1×10³ respectively and the total count of yeast and mold from food samples of boiled milk, cerifam and atmit were 3.2×10²_, 1.6×10² 0.5×10²_, and 2.5×10², 0.5×10²_, 0.5×10² respectively. From the analysis of our study boiled milk and cerifam was contaminated but Atmit was relatively saved.

Keywords: weaning food, cerifam ,atmit, boiled milk, aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, staphylococcus, coliform, yeast and mold