Comparison of Microbiological and Sensory Qualities of ‘fufu’ Processed from Grinding Machines and the Traditional Method at Ayigya in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana

This study compares the bacteriological and sensory characteristics of‘ fufu’ processed using grinding machines and traditional method at Ayigya, a suburb of Kumasi between December 2018 and February, 2019. Samples were collected from three different sites for fufu grinding machine and three sampling areas for traditional method using mortar and pestle and were coded GM1, GM2 and GM3; and MP1, MP2 and MP3 respectively. Bacterial counts and isolation from all the samples were done using standard methods. Morphological and biochemical characterization of the isolates were done and the organisms were identified using standard identification key. The sensory qualities of the samples were evaluated by a 20 member panelists of regular consumer of fufu. Bacterial counts of fufu processed using grinding machine ranged between 4.90×103 and 5.88 x 103 CFU/g while those obtained through traditional method of processing were between 2.01×103 and 2.76×103 CFU/g. Of the 72 bacterial isolates, 47(65.3%) of the isolates were Gram negative while 25(34.7%) were Gram-positive. The most frequent isolates in the samples were Staphylococcus sp. (34.7%), Escherichia coli (30.6%), Klebsiella sp. (22.2%) and Proteus sp. (12.5%). Consumer acceptance of ‘fufu’ obtained from the use of traditional pestle and mortar was significantly higher (P ˂ 0.001) than those obtained from the use of grinding machine. The study concluded that Klebsiella, Staphylococcus, Proteus and E. coli are associated with both the fufu grinding machines and the traditional mortar and pestle products and that consumers prefer the processed ‘fufu’ from the traditional source to the grinding machine.