C.G. DIMOWO

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) are among the most consumed vegetables in Nigeria and constitute a vital component of human diets due to their high nutritional and economic value. This study investigated the microbial profiles of three tomato varieties: Beefsteak, Globe, and Roma sold in a selected market in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria. Standard microbiological techniques were employed for the isolation, enumeration and identification of both bacterial and fungal contaminants using Nutrient Agar, MacKonkey Agar, Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) Agar, and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). The total viable bacterial counts varied among varieties, with Beefsteak tomatoes exhibiting the highest total aerobic bacterial count (5.0 ± 0.5×10³), Enteric bacterial count (15.0 ± 0.5×10³) and Coliform bacterial count(7.6 ± 0.5 ×10³) followed by Roma and Globe varieties (4.2 ± 0.5×10³, 9.2 ± 0.5×10³, 6.4 ± 0.5 ×10³) and (4.2 ± 0.5 ×10³, 3.2 ± 0.5×10³, 2.6 ± 0.5 ×10³) respectively. Identified bacterial isolates included Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while fungal isolates comprised Aspergillus niger, Penicillium expansum, Rhizopus stolonifer, and Fusarium oxysporum. The observed differences in microbial load were attributed to varietal characteristics such as texture, water content, and handling conditions. The results also revealed that poor post-harvest handling, unhygienic market environments, and the use of contaminated wash water contributed significantly to microbial contamination. It is recommended that vendors adopt improved hygiene, proper storage, and temperature control to reduce spoilage and ensure consumer safety.

Microbial analysis in this study was conducted on palm wine samples gotten from five locations in Benin City. The samples were collected from different palm wine bars in the different locations. The microorganisms isolated were identified based on their various morphological, cultural and biochemical characteristics. The microbial analysis of palm wine in this study revealed the presence of diverse microorganisms including Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, Enterobacter, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus specie as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida sp., and Aspergillus sp. The highest heterotrophic bacterial count was recorded for Sample A, in which the values were too numerous to count for the first dilution and 12±1.00×10 4cfu/ml for the fourth dilution plated. This was followed by Sample E with values of 1.4±1.00×10 2cfu/ml and 8.0±1.73×10 4cfu/ml for both dilutions plated. The total fungal counts were recorded as 2.06±0.58×10 2cfu/ml and 1.6±1.00×10 4cfu/ml for Sample A, 2.54±1.53×10 2cfu/ml and 8.6±2.08×10 4cfu/ml for Sample B and 4.0±0.81×10 1cfu/ml and 2.6±0.58×10 4cfu/ml for Sample C. Sample D was recorded as 2.26±1.53×10 2cfu/ml and 2.24±0.58×10 5cfu/ml while Sample E was recorded as 2.24±5.69×10 2cfu/ml and 5.4±1.53×10 4cfu/ml. The lowest count was found in Sample B in which the value was 2.6±0.58×10 1cfu/ml for the first dilution plated and no growth was recorded for the 10 4 dilution The presence of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lactobacillus spp. with a 100% occurrence in the samples showed their usefulness in the fermentation of the beverage. Some of the organisms isolated such as the coliforms, indicated unhygienic handling of the beverage. It is therefore pertinent that hygiene practices are taken into great considerations in the production and distribution of the beverage.

Enzymes are biological catalysts that regulate specific biologicak reactions. Pectinase is an essential industrial enzyme widely utilized in food processing, textile, and paper industries due to its ability to degrade pectin and enhance product quality. Microorganisms like Aspergillus spp have been used in the commercial production of this industrially important enzyme.This study aimed to investigate the production of pectinase using Aspergillus spp isolated from soil samples
under submerged fermentation conditions. Aspergillus species were isolated from a total of five (5) soil samples gotten from dump sites within the University of Benin and the village of Ekosodin, after all the samples were serially diluted and inoculated on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) using the pour plate technique. Pure cultures were obtained and the fungal isolates were identified based on cultural and morphological characteristics then screening was carried out, for selecting species that are capable of producing amylase on a commercial scale. The results were based on the mean counts of the fungi isolates which ranged from 13±1.00 ×10³cfu/g to 37±1.00 ×10³ cfu/g representing the lowest and highest mean counts obtained respectively, percentage frequency of the fungi isolates showing the various fungi isolated which include Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus tarmari, Mucor, Penicillium Chrysogenum, Penicillium spp and Fusarium of which Aspergillus niger has the highest percentage of occurrence(35), morphological description, optical density of which 0.09±0.0005 and 0.314±0.005 represents the lowest and highest values respectively.In conclusion, the results from this study shows that Aspergillus species were predominant in the soil and can be readily isolated and applied industrially in the production of the enzyme pectinase