Bacteriological Evaluation of Food Handlers’ Thumb in Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo, Oyo State

Abstract

Food handlers, in most cases, act as vehicles for the spread of foodborne illness and this is a pointer to a public health problem that is of major global concern. Food handlers contribute to foodborne illness due to their inadequate, inefficient hygiene leading to subsequent passage of pathogens to food. Hence, this study was carried out to determine the level of bacterial contamination of food handlers who work in canteens at Ajayi Crowther University (ACU), Oyo campus. Microbiological analysis was conducted on the thumbs of both cooks (24) and servers (24) from 12 distinct canteens situated within ACU, Oyo campus. With strict aseptic precautions, the left and right thumbs of each food handler were firmly placed onto Nutrient agar plates.  After incubation, bacterial isolates were conventionally identified through the utilization of biochemical assays. A total number of 42 bacteria were isolated and identified, they include Staphylococcus aureus (26.2 %), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (2.4 %), Staphylococcus epidermidis (4.8 %), Micrococcus luteus (7.1 %), Micrococcus varians (4.8 %), Corynebacterium kutsceri (7.1 %), and Bacillus spp. (47.6 %). Particularly notable is the prevalence of potentially pathogenic bacterial strains colonizing the hands of the food handlers. This highlights the existing vulnerabilities in food safety practices, subsequently heightening the risk of propagating foodborne illnesses within the campus environment and beyond. Given the propensity of these bacterial strains to elicit foodborne poisoning or illnesses, often leading to severe health implications, the imperative for enhanced training becomes evident. Addressing proper hygienic practices and meticulous hand-washing protocols among food handlers emerges as a paramount necessity to promote a safer food service environment.