PREVALENCE OF HEAMOLYSIN-BL AND CYTOTOXIN K TOXINIGENIC BACILLUS CEREUS IN MILK/MILK PRODUCTS IN OGHARA AND ENVIRONS

Abstract

Bacillus cereus; a ubiquitous Gram-positive strain, has been implicated in foodborne diseases and contamination of milk/products as its toxins produce emetic disease and gastroenteritis/diarrheal especially when appropriate hygienic conditions are defiled. In
recent times, there is a high interest in the consumption of raw Milk/product in such besmirched state which necessitates study. Current study investigates prevalence of B. cereus and detects heat stable (ST) enterotoxin in raw milk/products to ascertain
microbiological safety and related health concerns amongst such dairy products. Commercially available raw milk/products were obtained {(with quantity as follows: 5-powdered cowbell milk, 5-Nutri milk, 5-Viju milk, 5-La cream yogurt and 5-fresh Cow/raw milk (Fura da-nunu)} from our local market and public vendors within the Western-Delta-region of Delta State. Samples were subjected to standard microbiological procedures and isolates were characterized by morphological, cultural and biochemical tests attributable to B. cereus while the detection of virulence dynamics employed both blood agar and 1-3 days old suckling mice. Amongst the 20 (80%) isolates observed, 14 (70%) isolates were presumptively identified as B. cereus with each of them expressing onto the blood agar medium observable β-haemolysis. The ST enterotoxin test shows that among the 14 recovered isolates of B. cereus, 50% (7) were positive to heat stable enterotoxin test (ST). Such observation suggests contamination and unhealthy state of such milk/milk products and its consumption poses a potential outbreak hub. There is routine and urgent need for surveillance/reevaluation as well as microbiological safety of such milk/products within the study environment