ABSTRACT

Culturally, consumption of local fermented skimmed milk (nono/tsala) is common in Northern Nigeria and many other parts of Africa and it is sometimes associated with microbial diseases due to poor hygienic practice. Hence, this study was conducted with the objectives of assessing the microbial quality and some physicochemical parameters, a purposive sampling was used to collect a total of 12 different samples from Dutse local government, Jigawa state. The results obtained showed that the pH of the samples ranged between 4.890±0.01414 and 4.450  ±0.07071, with titratible acid value mean ranged between 0.315±0.06364 to 0.270±0.0000, a moisture content of 92.090±10.5640 to 80.730±3.7760 and total solid between the range of 19.270±3.7760 to 7.910±10.5604. The total bacterial count range from 8.766 ±0.3512 × 103 cfu/ml(log104.94) to 1.150 ±0.0700 × 103 cfu/ml  (log10 4.06), with fungal count of 2.400 ±0.2646 × 103 cfu/ml (log10 4.38) to 0.733 ±0.1528 × 103 cfu/ml(log10 3.87), and a coliform count of 14 to <3 (MPN/ml) and Staphylococcal count between the range of 8.567 ±0.7095 × 103 cfu/ml (log10 4.92) to 2.867 ±0.9504 × 103 cfu/ml  (log10 3.46). The bacteria isolated are Staphylococcus spp, Bacillus spp, Micrococcus spp, Streptococcus and E. coli  and the fungal isolates from the samples included Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Mucor and Rhizopus stolonofer. The quality of the fermented skimmed milk consumed in the study area was found to be of low quality. Thus, awareness should be strengthened on hygienic methods of production, handling, and selling to the consumers within the town.