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MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION OF STORED SHELL EGGS OF CHICKEN UNDER TEMPERATURE AND RELATIVE HUMIDITY INTERACTION
Uneze, Chijioke Uchechukwu

ABSTRACT
Contamination of food products by microbial organisms is a significant health and safety issue. The study was to investigate the microbial contamination of stored chicken eggs under temperature and relative humidity interaction. To achieve this, from a total of 192 freshly laid eggs collected for the study, 48 eggs were randomly assigned to each of the four treatments of temperature and relative humidity of 290Cx60%RH(T1); 290Cx80%RH(T2); 100Cx60%RH(T3) and 100Cx80%RH(T4). After that, three eggs were collected weekly from these four treatment groups for bacterial and fungal isolation. This examination was carried out for eight weeks. The microbial isolates examined were E. coli, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Staphylococcus (bacteria) and, Aspergillus, Penicillium (fungi). The presence and frequency of these microbial isolates were recorded. The emerging results were that Salmonella growth at 100C for 60%RH and 80%RH were marginally recorded for up to week 3 of storage. Refrigeration at 100C, irrespective of relative humidity, generally reduced the frequency and presence of these bacterial isolates. For the fungal isolates, at either 100C or 290C, more fungi isolates were generally recorded at a higher R.H. of 80%. It is concluded from this study that storage at combined temperature and R.H. of 100C and 60% will provide an ideal condition that would limit microbial contamination of chicken eggs in storage. This storage environment will ensure safe and suitable egg products. Keywords: Microbial contamination, Temperature, Relative humidity, Storage, Interaction.


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The Beam journal of arts and science
ISSN: 1118-5953 www.uaspolysok.edu.ng/jounal