The BACTERIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF STREET FOODS VENDED IN BUKAVU CITY: POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS TO CONSUMERS OF SOUTH KIVU PROVINCE, EASTERN D.R. CONGO: POTENTIAL HEALTH RISKS TO CONSUMERS OF SOUTH KIVU PROVINCE, EASTERN D.R. CONGO

Foods vended in roadsides of our African cities is a reality and constitute a major problem of public health starting the multiplicity and diversity of microbial flora that they carry. To address these challenges, this study was performed to control the hygienic quality of street foods vended in urban zones of Bukavu city in South Kivu province, DR Congo and assess the potential health risks to consumers. This prospective study was conducted among street vending food from vendors in three urban zone of Bukavu city. A total of 80 food samples compressing boiled meat (16), roast fish (18), sausages (21), fresh milk (13) and loaf (12) from 320 vendors were purchased and analyzed. Standard microbiological methods NF ISO 7218: 1996 were used for isolation, enumeration and identification of bacteria. Investigations into the point of sale and microbiological test results revealed the presence of a perpetual contamination risk by vendor categories. All street food samples tested are contaminated to varying degrees by bacteria, including: FMAT, total coliforms with Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus sp. with Negative Staphylococci Coagulase and Staphylococcus aureus and salmonella with species Salmonella enterica, represent a great risk of street food poisoning for over 350 consumers per month. The mean bacterial counts in these foods expressed to CFU/10g of each food collected exceed the standards set by the Codex Alimentarius, significant and highly statistically significant according different categories of vendors and sampling sites (p<0.0001). Samples collected from vendors in Kadutu urban zone (the most popular and unhealthy in the city) are more contaminated. Dishes that are not subjected to heating during preparation have the highest microbial load. This is the case of fresh milk where the total mesophilic flora is of order of 106 CFU/10g. This is also the case of street food which, after cooking are exposed for a long time at room temperature: boiled meat and sausages contain an uncountable amount of bacteria. Total coliforms, and Salmonella sp. are more loaded in boiled meat, fresh milk and sausages. Many Staphylococcus sp. are in the loaf. Much (77%) contaminated dishes are from ambulant vendors than other distributors, followed by semi-stationary and stationary vendors respectively (p<0.001). Contamination of street food in Bukavu is multifactorial and hygiene vendors contribute significantly to contamination factor, including unhygienic managers, dirty environment and poor water quality. Hence, sustainable development of communities through good hygiene practices in street foods handling. The government should thus strengthen health checks at street food and ensure their hygienic quality before consumption by the population in order to prevent these diseases and improve health of consumers.