Bacteria Implication in the Deterioration of Spoilt Tomatoes

This research was carryout to investigate the bacterial associated with spoilt tomato.Tomato is one of most popular vegetable in the home garden and the third most important vegetable crop on the basis of the market value.it is consumed worldwide because it protects the body against the diseases.it contribute to a healthy well-balance diet that is rich in vitamins like vitamin A,B,C and E; minerals such as phosphorus, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, carbohydrate.

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Tomato varies in sizes and shapes and colours, they include yellow ,pink,red , orange and green. A total of 27 tomatoes were sampled of which 3 samples were obtained from three different places in each market in Ile-Ife , Osun State, Nigeria, Africa.

They were culture on Nutrient Agar(NA). A total of nine (9) species of bacterial were isolated and identified;Bacillus cereus,Klebsella aeruginosa , Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus species, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris, Yersinea psudotuberculosis, Enterococcus faecalis.

The most prevalence isolate was Bacillus cereus (26.6%) and was found in 15samples out of 27 samples from the three markets. Escherichia coli , Proteus vulgaris , Yersinea pseudotuberculosis, Enterococcuss faecalis was the latest species . However , the microbial count ranges from 1.08 x 103 _ 6.84 x 104 Mayfair market, 1.92 x 103 _ 6.84 X 104 For Ojatuntun and 1.2 x 106 __ 3.12 x 10 5 For Akinola market, in Ile- Ife,Osun State,Nigeria ,Africa. GRAM AND BIOCHEMICAL REACTION RESULT OF THE ISOLATED ORGANISM FROM THE SPOILT TOMATO

S/N	Bacteria Isolates	NI	GR	C	I	CT	U	M
OJI	Bacillus cereus	4	+	+	+	+	+	+
OJI	Yersinea pseudotuberculosis	-	_	_	_	_	+	+
OJ2	Klebsiella aerogenes	5	_	+	+	+	+	_
0J3	Enterococcus faecalis	1	+	+	_	_	+	_
0J3	Streptococcus specie	1	+	+	_	_	+	_
0J3	Staphylococcus aureus	1	+	+	_	+	+	_
0J3	Klebsiella aerogenes	2	_	+	_	+	+	_
MF1	Bacillus cereus	2	+	+	+	+	+	+
MF1	Staphylococcus aureus	3	+	+	_	+	+	_
MF2	Bacillus cereus	2	+	+	+	+	+	+
"	Streptococcus specie	1	+	+	+	_	+	_
MF2	Klebsiella aerogenes	2	_	+	+	_	+	_
MF3	Bacillus cereus	1	+	+	+	+	+	+
MF3	Bacillus subtilis	2	+	+	+	+	+	_
MF3	Streptococcus specie	1	+	+	_	_	+	_
MF3	Escherichia coli	1	_	+	_	_	+	_
IP1	Bacillus subtilis	4	+	+	+	+	+	_
IP1	Staphylococcus aureus	1	+	+	_	+	+	_
IP2	Bacillus subtilis	3	+	+	+	+	+	_
IP2	Klebsiella aerogenes	2	_	+	_	+	+	_
IP3	Bacillus cereus	3	+	+	+	+	+	+
IP3	Staphylococcus aureus	1	+	+	_	+	+	_
IP3	Proteus vulgaris	1	_	+	+	_	+	_

KEYS
Number of isolates= NS, Gram reaction= GR, Citrate= C, Indole= I, Catalase= CT, Urease= U, Motility= M.
The table above shows that Bacillus cereus was common in OJ1 and IP3, Klebsiella aerogenes were the only organism present in OJ2, Staphylococcus aurous were common in MF1.