Assessment of the microbiological quality of soybean skewers sold in the city of Ouagadougou and the antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus isolates

Introduction: Soy skewers have been part of the Burkinabe diet for several years. The objective of this study is to contribute to the food safety of soy skewers sold in the city of Ouagadougou.

Methods: A total of 72 samples, including 36 of tofu and 36 of ready-to-eat soy skewers, were collected from producers/sellers in the 12 districts of the city of Ouagadougou for microbiological analysis using standardized methods. The analyses focused on counting the total mesophilic aerobic flora, yeasts and molds, total and thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated for antibiotic resistance testing.

Results: According to current microbiological criteria, 19.45 % of soy skewer samples were of satisfactory quality, 8.33 % were of acceptable quality, and 72.22 % were of unsatisfactory quality. For the tofu samples, 5.56 % were of satisfactory quality, 8.33 % were of acceptable quality, and 86.11 % were of unsatisfactory quality. Pathogens such as E. coli and S. aureus isolated from tofu and soy skewers showed resistance to certain antibiotics.

Conclusion: In view of the results, which show a significant number of samples that do not comply with standards, training for stakeholders on good hygiene practices and the processing of tofu and soy skewers is necessary to minimize the risk of food poisoning.