The microbiology of three different yoghurt samples from Mile I Diobu area of Port
Harcourt was evaluated weekly for three weeks using standard plate count and most
probable number (MPN) technique. This was carried out by analyzing for total
aerobic heterotropic bacteria, total coliform bacteria, Thermotolerant coliform
bacteria and fungi. The total aerobic heterotrophic bacteria count ranged from 4.0 ×
105
cfuml-1
to 1.13 × 106
cfuml-1
of yoghurt, the total coliform bacteria ranged from 11
to 140 coliform (MPN) 100ml-1 while the thermotolerant coliform bacteria ranged
from 17 to 90 coliform (MPN) 100ml-1
. The fungal count ranged from 1.0 × 102
spore
forming unit (sfu) ml-1
to 5.0 × 102 sfuml-1
. The results of the mean values of pH of
the samples were Green field yoghurt (pH 7.0), Home victory yoghurt (pH 7.5), and
Mary gold natural yoghurt (pH 5.0). Generally, the bacterial, fungal and
thermotolerant coliform counts were highest in the Mary gold samples which had an
acidic pH. This shows that the isolates are acidophiles. On the other hand, the
bacterial and fungal counts were lowest in Green field samples with a neutral pH
which however, recorded the highest total coliform count. While the total coliform
and thermotolerant coliform counts were lowest in the Home victory yoghurt samples.
Generally, the incidence (%) of bacteria was; Bacillus cereus (22.5%),
Bifidobacterium sp (7.5%), Escherichia coli (7.5%), Lactobacillus acidophilus (15%),
Lactobacillus bulgaricus (12.5%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (15%), and
Staphylococcus aureus (20.0%). Incidence of fungi was; Aspergillus niger (10%),
Fusarium solani (15%), Mucor sp (20%), Penicillium italicum and Penicillium spp
(35%), and Saccharomyces cerevisae (20%). Statistical analysis using ANOVA
showed that there is no significant difference at P = 0.05 in the microbial counts and
in the incidence of the bacterial isolates between the three yoghurt samples. The
presence of these bacteria and fungi especially enteric organisms and indicators of
faecal contamination such as E. coli and Enterobacter is of public health concern as
they pose serious health hazards to the unsuspecting consumers.