THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON THE SANITARY QUALITY AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF TRADITIONALLY PRODUCED PEANUT BUTTER

The study was conducted to determine the microbial and proximate composition of Peanut butter using standard microbiological methods. A total of 40 samples from different vendors of peanut butter were purchases at random. 20 samples were purchased in plastics while 20 were purchased in nylons. Nylon peanut butter was more contaminated than the plastic peanut butter. The organisms isolated include Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Serratia sp Enterococcus sp, Staphylococcus sp and Klebsiella sp. Bacillus sp had the highest percentage of occurrence of 35.5% followed by Klebsiella sp and Staphylococcus sp with a percentage frequency of occurrence of 19.4%, respectively. Enterococcus sp had a frequency of 12.9% and Serratia sp had a frequency of 9.7%. While Escherichia coli was the least with a frequency of 3.2%. For fungi, Aspergillus sp, and Penicillium sp were isolated. Aspergillus sp had the highest Percentage of occurrence of 60% and Penicillium sp a percentage occurrence of 40%. The occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in traditionally made peanut butter can be a potential health risk to the consumers, so proper handling of peanut butter during production is encouraged and also proper storage condition and safe usage while using for a prolong period time should be maintained properly to minimize the risk of microbial contamination of the peanut butter as well as the foodborne diseases of the consumers.