Microbial quality of peanut butter manufactured by small-scale producers at two popular open-air markets in Lusaka Mary Ngulube and Evans Kaimoyo∗

Abstract

To contribute to the safety and quality of peanut butter manufactured by small-scale producers and consumed in Zambia, six samples from two popular local markets in Lusaka and six others from commercial retail outlets were procured and analyzed for microbial quality. Various fungal genera including Mucor, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Penicillium, Trichothecium and Trichophyton were identified, with Cladosporium being the most predominant. The main bacterial genus isolated and identified was Bacillus, and for both fungi and bacteria, total microbial loads in peanut butter samples produced by small-scale manufacturers were found to be significantly higher than those in samples from commercial retail outlets. The high microbial loads present a public health challenge
necessitating an urgent need for good manufacturing and hygiene practices to help minimize fungal
and bacterial contamination, improve the quality of the products and forestall the potential for
food-borne disease outbreaks.