The Open Food Science Journal

2008, 2 : 95-101
Published online 2008 December 31. DOI: 10.2174/1874256400802010095
Publisher ID: TOFSJ-2-95

Evaluation of Some Antibiotics Against Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated from Infant Foods in North Africa

M. Shadlia-Matug , K.E. Aidoo , A.A. Candlish and A.M. Elgerbi
School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK.

ABSTRACT

Eighty four samples of commercial infant foods in Libya were examined for microbiological quality. Bacillus cereus, B. stearothermophilus, B. licheniformis, Staphylococcus xylosus, S.lentus, Enterobacter sakazakii, E. aerogenes were isolated from the samples. Over 64.3 % of the samples contained high counts of Bacillus spp (≥2 log10 CFU/g), 42.9% Staphylococcus spp (≥2 log10 CFU/g) and 26.3% Enterobacteriaceae (≥2 log10 CFU/g). The moulds isolated were mainly of the genera, Aspergillus and Penicillium. In relation to antibiotic resistance Bacillus spp showed the highest level of resistance to bacittracin (63.6%), ampicillin (54.5%), cephalosporin (36.4%), penicillin (18.1%) and nalidixine acid (18.2%). Corresponding values for Staphylococcus spp were bacitracin 60%, erythromycin 30%, penicillin 30%, cephalosporin 10%, nalidixic acid 10% and ampicillin 10%, respectively. Enterobacteriaceae strains were resistant to bacitracin (100%), erythromycin (62.5%), ampicillin (37.5%), cephalosporin (25%) and nalidixine acid (12.5 %). Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus spp and Enterobacteriaceae were susceptible to chloramphenicol, kanamycin, gentamicin and streptomycin.

Keywords:

Infant food, Bacillus spp., enterobacteriaceae.