Author/Authors :
Mahami, Tahiru Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Togby-Tetteh, Wellington Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Isaac Kottoh, Delali Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Amoakoah-Twum, Leticia Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Gasu, Emmanuel Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Nana Yao Annan, Sylvester Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Larbi, Daniel Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Adjei, Isaac Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana , Adu-Gyamfi, Abraham Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) - Ghana Atomic Energy Commission - P. O. Box LG 80 - Legon - Accra, Ghana
Abstract :
Animal feed has been linked to human illness through the food chain as a result of food borne bacteria and more recently the
risk of foodborne antibiotic resistance. Tis study investigated the extent to which radiation can be used as an intervention to
improve the safety and quality of poultry feed in terms of food borne pathogens and antibiotic resistant microbes. Mean counts of
control feed samples were Log10 5.98 for total viable count (TVC), Log10 4.76 for coliform count (CC), Log10 2.89 for Staphylococcus
aureus count (STC), and Log10 4.57 for yeast and mold count (YMC) and Salmonella spp. (SC) was not detected (ND). All counts
were within permissible levels except for CC (Log10 4.76) which was above the permissible limit of ≤ log10 4.0. Identifed bacteria
isolates were Enterobacter cloacae (54.5%), Bacillus cereus (27.3%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (18.2%). All (100%) isolates exhibited
multidrug Resistance (MDR) with Bacillus cereus being the most resistant (to 9 out of 11 antibiotics) followed by Enterobacter
cloacae/Klebsiella pneumoniae (4 out of 11 antibiotics). Several resistance patterns were observed with PEN/AMP/FLX being the
commonest (100%), followed by ERY (90.9%), TET (72.7%), CRX (66.6%), CTX (45.4%), CHL/CTR (36.4%), GEN (27.3%),
and COT (18.2%). Klebsiella pneumoniae showed zero resistance to GEN/CHL/CTR/CTX/CRX while Enterobacter cloacae and
Bacillus cereus exhibited zero resistance to GEN and COT, respectively.Te most efective antibiotic against Gram negative bacteria
(Enterobacter cloacae and Klebsiella pneumoniae) was gentamicin while cotrimoxazole was the most efective against Bacillus cereus
(Gram positive). Radiation processing of 5kGy totally eliminated all microbes including MDR food borne pathogens. In view of
this, we recommend low dose radiation decontamination as a measure to mitigate against the possible food safety and public health risks to humans associated with poultry feed.
Keywords :
Microbial Food , Safety Risk , Humans Associated , Poultry Feed , Irradiation
