Effect of food storage in plastic, polythene and refrigerator

Food stuffs such as maize (Zea mays L.), rice (Oryza sativa), and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) are important staple foods in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of storage on food samples in plastic, polythene bag, and refrigerator, putting into consideration the weight and microbial load of the food products before and after storage. The samples were obtain from Oba market and subjected to storage for 28 days, after which isolate of fungi and bacteria were obtained. The results revealed the isolation of Rhizopus spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus flavus, and Aspergillus niger. Also the total bacteria count ranges from 1 – 48 colony forming unit (CFU). Conclusively, storage condition is important for cereal foods in order to increase the shelf-life of such. This study revealed that refrigeration is preferable for storage of food stuff. It is important to preserve food samples in normal storage condition, therefore refrigeration is recommended for storage of food sample, in order to increase the shelf-life of food products.