Microbial profile of common spices and spice blends used in Tamale, Ghana

Food Safety and Risk

Table 1 Microbial load of spices used for grilling meat in the Tamale

Sample Sites	TC	FC	E. coli	SS
A1	0	2.7	1.81	0.03
B1	0.9	1.63	0	0.44
C1	0	0	2	0.34
D1	0.31	0	1.76	0
E1	0.9	1.95	0.68	0.2
A2	0	2.13	1.43	0
B2	0	1.84	0	0
C2	1.66	0.8	2.32	0.46
D2	0.22	1.31	0	0.9
E2	0.9	0	0	0.47
A3	0.23	0.77	3.14	0.3
B3	1.7	2.4	0.54	0.3
C3	0	1.7	0	0.64
D3	0.69	0	1.9	0.5
E3	0.4	0.62	2.2	0
A4	1.04	0.32	2.6	0.9
B4	0.36	0	0.66	0.72
C4	0	0	1.51	0.4
D4	0.3	1.2	0	0.8
E4	0.5	0	0	0
Min	0	0	0	0
Max	1.7	2.7	3.14	0.9
Mean	0.54	0.96	1.17	0.38
SD	0.55	0.94	1.07	0.31
GSB (2006)	0	0	0	0
WHO Limits (2011)	0	0	0	0

Note: All values are units of log₁₀ cfu/ml: A-D: Samples sites and 1–4 means first to fourth sample
TC Total coliform, FC Faecal coliform, E. coli: Escherichia coli, SS Salmonella spp., C. perfringens Clostridium perfringens

ISSN: 2731-9245