MICROBIAL QUALITY AND SAFETY OF BREAD SOLD IN CAFETERIA, TEA AND BREAD SHOP OF JIMMA TOWN, OROMIA REGIONAL STATE, SOUTHWEST ETHIOPIA.

The study was conducted in Jimma town, Jimma zone, south west of Ethiopia with the aim to evaluate the microbiological quality and safety of bread sold in Jimma town. The study involved laboratory analysis for microbial quality and safety of bread. Standard methods were used for the enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and moulds, antibiotic susceptibility patterns of the isolates. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16.00. A total of 90 bread samples (30 from each cafeteria, tea and bread shop) were collected. Result of the study indicated, the mean microbial counts (CFUg-1) were dominated by aerobic mesophilic bacteria (5.2?0.5), aerobic bacterial spore (4.6 ?0.7), moulds (4.0?0.6), S.aureus (3.3?0.5), Yeast (3.0?0.6), lactic acid bacteria (2.5?0.4) and Enterobacteriaceae (1.1? 0.1), however, Coli form bacteria was not detected in any bread samples. Of the total of 546 isolates characterized, the most predominant were Bacillus spp. (40.7%) followed by Staphylococcus spp. (25.1%), Micrococcus spp. (10.6%), Pseudomonas spp.(9.9%), Acinetobacter spp. (7.7%) and Aeromonas spp. (6%). Totally, 68.9% of samples were positive for S. aureus but Salmonella spp. below detectable level in any bread sample of suppliers. S. aureus isolates were resistant to maximum seven antibiotics (4.8%) and highly resistant to Methicillin, Oxacillin and Penicillin G (100%). Bread contamination problems in present study could be due to poor personal hygiene, and improperly sanitized utensils. Generally, the microbial quality of bread sold in Jimma town was poor, particularly tea shop and cafeteria bread sellers needs regular inspection.