Microbiological Quality of Homemade and Commercial Weaning Foods in Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia

Abstract

Access to adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood is essential to ensure growth, health, and development of children to their full potential. Weaning foods, which are introduced into the child's diet alongside breast milk, prepared under unhygienic conditions could contribute to transmission of disease causing foodborne pathogens compromising children’s health. This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of homemade and commercial weaning foods in Jimma Zone, South West Ethiopia. A total of 150 weaning food samples which comprises 90 commercial (30 Anchor, 30 Ayu, and 30 Baby Kin) and 60 Homemade (30 cheese and 30 firfir) were collected from different supermarkets and mothers feeding their infants with weaning foods in Jimma Zone (Jimma town, Asandabo, Oomo Nadda and Oomo Beyam). The study involved collection of relevant data using interview and laboratory analysis for microbial quality. Laboratory analysis was done for enumerating Aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococci, Yeast and Mold. SPSS statistical software version 23 was employed for data analysis. The finding of the study showed that, 84(56%) of vendors were belonged to the age group between 31- 40 years and 79(52.7%) had primary education, while 36(24 %) were uneducated. In weaning food practice, majorities, 84(56%) used cold water only to prepare weaning foods, 66(44%) of the users couldn’t check the expiry date and (35.5%) of the sellers’ stored weaning food in refrigerator while some (25.5%) stored in shelf. The mean count of Aerobic mesophilic bacteria was the highest (6.9 log CFUg1 ) in Firfir sample followed by Cheese (6.7 log CFUg-1 ) whereas the lowest was in Ayu (4.0 log CFUg - 1 ).Of the total 901 isolates characterized, the most predominant were Bacillus spp. (34.3%) followed by Staphylococcus spp. (27.2%) and Enterobacteriaceae (15.1%). Totally, 27.2% of samples were positive for S. aureus and 9.4% samples were positive for Salmonella spp. Majorities of S. aureus were susceptible to ciprofloxacin (91.8%) followed by gentamycin (85.7%). However, they were highly resistant to penicillin G (100%). Salmonella spp, (100%) were susceptible to each of Ciprofloxacin, Gentamycin, Kanamycin, and Norflaxacin. .However, (38.1%) were resistant to tetracycline. On the other hand, E. coli was susceptible to Gentamycin (100%). In challenge study, the initial cell density of test stains separately inoculated to the samples was 3-4.5log CFUg-1 . There was faster growth rate of Salmonella spp., in firfir sample (4.9 Log CFUg-1 ) followed by cheese (4.7 Log CFUg-1 ) at 6 hrs.Most weaning foods available to the infants have high level of microbial contamination. The issue related to weaning food quality is the serious issue unless strong police created much life of infants will be lost.