Comparative Analysis of Shelf Life and Fungal Spoilage of Different Brands of Bread Sold within Dutsin-Ma Metropolis

Abstract

The study aimed to compare the shelf life and fungal spoilage of different brands of bread sold within Dutsin-Ma Metropolis. Nine brands of bread were purchased from different vendors within Dutsin-Ma metropolis and were transported in sterile polyethylene bags to the Microbiology Laboratory of Federal University Dutsin-Ma for analyses using standard procedures. The bread samples were stored at various storage conditions such as room temperature, sun exposure, and refrigerator, respectively, for a specified period of 7 days from day 1 to day 7, and samples were taken at each interval to measure the quality of the bread. At each interval, the shelf life of the bread was evaluated based on the color, texture, smell, and taste of the bread. Bread samples stored under ambient temperature had the highest contamination, while samples stored under the sun had less fungal growth and samples kept in a refrigerator showed no fungal growth at all. Analysis of different nine (9) brands of bread yielded fungal species such as Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium and Penicillium species. Aspergillus niger was found to have the highest percentage occurrence (28%), while Fusarium spp and Trichophyton rubrum had the least percentage occurrence (8%). It is recommended that bakery processes should ensure proper hygiene during the manufacturing process to minimize microbial contamination, especially moulds. People are also advised to buy modern-produced breads for their consumption which is thought to have improved quality standards than the locally produced ones.