Comparative analysis of microbial contamination in vegetables sourced from farms, markets and street vendors in cape coast, Ghana

Abstract

Safety of fresh vegetables has become a critical public health concern, especially in urban centers where contamination can occur at multiple points along the food supply chain. This study enumerated the microbial load of some selected vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, green pepper, and carrot) collected from farms, markets, and street food vendors within the Cape Coast metropolis. A total of 24 fresh vegetables were conveniently sampled from 3 locations and analyzed for certain microbial contaminants such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella species. Standard microbial techniques were used for the culture and identification of the selected microbes. Results showed E. coli counts ranged from 4.53 log₁₀ CFUg^-1 (UCCSM-L) to 2.23 log₁₀ CFUg^-1 (UCCBV-L) while S. aureu ranged from 3.68 log₁₀ CFUg^-1 (UCCBV-L) to 0 log₁₀ CFUg^-1 with six of the samples recording the least count. Aerobic Mesophilic counts ranged from 3.23 to 6.72 log₁₀ CFUg^-1.  Salmonella species were present in 16.67% samples, while L. monocytogenes was absent in all samples. The cabbage, carrot and lettuce samples collected from the Cape Coast Metropolis had high microbial loads followed by green pepper samples. Therefore, the detection of pathogenic microorganisms such as E. coli, S. aureus, and Salmonella spp. underscores a serious public health concern. The presence of these pathogens suggests poor hygienic practices during transport and vending of these vegetables.