Date of Completion

2024

Document Type

Research Project

Degree Name

Grade 12

Keywords

colony forming units; food safety; morphological characteristics; pathogenic bacteria; street food sauce

Abstract

Street food sauces are prone to contamination due to various factors such as poor sanitation practices, improper food handling, storage, etc.—several studies have identified the presence of pathogenic bacteria in street food. This study aims to detect and identify the food-borne pathogenic bacteria in street food sauces to inform the public about its potential health risks. Purposive sampling was applied to gather the samples from stalls within the vicinity of De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute. Several procedures were done; a total plate count was employed to determine the quantity of bacteria in each sample. The morphological characteristics were examined to determine the colonies that were suspected to be pathogenic. Moreover, three common colonies were selected for isolation. The isolated colonies were identified using VITEK® MS. The results showed that common morphological characteristics of pathogenic bacteria were circular, smooth, opaque, convex, undulate, and butyrous. Only sweet sauce and sweet and spicy sauce displayed countable plates which ranged from 35 to 380 colony-forming units (CFU). Furthermore, it is revealed that the three suspected pathogenic bacteria were Escherichia coli, Leclercia adecarboxylata, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Though they were considered opportunistic pathogens, they were still susceptible to common antibiotics. Based on these results, it is suggested that the government should enforce rules and regulations emphasizing safe food handling. Additionally, vendors and consumers should be cautious of their cleanliness.

First Advisor

Pancho E. Ercilla

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