Public Health implications of the microbiological analysis of Zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) drink produced and hawked in Eket, South-South Nigeria

Authors

  • Obono N Okoi Department of Family Medicine, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria Author
  • Iboro E Idem Department of Biochemistry, Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Nigeria. Author
  • John J Etim Health Services Management and Health Policy, Department of Public Health, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria Author
  • Obasesam J. Etim-John Department of Radiology, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar, Nigeria Author
  • Grace O Ibor Independent Consultant, Initiative for Peoples’ Good Health, Nigeria Author
  • Chukwuemeka Ogbonna Okoro Department of Medical Biochemistry, David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria Author
  • Ofonmbuk V Joseph Department of Microbiology, Heritage Polytechnic, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria Author
  • Israel O Efejene Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Delta University, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26538/tjdr.vol2no9.72

Keywords:

Zobo drink, Public Health implications, Microbiological analysis, Bacteria, Fungi

Abstract

Purpose: Zobo drink is a local, cheaper soft drink made from Hibiscus sabdariffa calyx, which is an herbaceous medicinal plant grown in the tropics. The study was designed to assess the Public Health implications of the microbiological analysis of Zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) drink produced and hawked in Eket, South-South Nigeria.

Methods: Hawked Zobo drinks packaged in plastic bottles were purchased from ten different hawkers at different locations. Nutrient Agar (NA), MacConkey Agar (MCA), Salmonella Shigella Agar (SSA) and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) were used for analysis of bacteria and fungi. Different microscopic and biochemical tests were employed to further identify the bacterial and fungal isolates.

Results: The bacteria isolated from the samples analyzed include Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp, Pseudomonas spp., Escherichia coli, Streptococcus spp., Campylobacter spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Klebsiella spp., with the highest percentage of occurrence being S. aureus. The total bacterial count ranged from 2.6 to 6.6 x103 cfu/ml in Nutrient agar, 1.0 to 2.5 x 103 cfu/ml in MacConkey agar and 2.4 to 7.3 x 103 cfu/ml in Salmonella-shigella agar. The fungi isolated from the samples were yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Aspergillus sp, Fusarium sp, Penicillium sp and Rhizopus sp., with a total count ranging from 5.4 to 9.1 x 104 cfu/ml in Sabouraud dextrose agar.

Conclusion: As Pubic Health implication, the likely sources of contamination of the zobo drinks analyzed are from the handlers, equipment and utensils used for processing, the water source and the method of dispensing into nylon or plastic bottles.

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Published

2025-10-09

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 9 (2025): Tropical Journal of Drug Research

Section

Articles

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Okoi, O. N., Idem, I. E., Etim, J. J., Etim-John, O. J., Ibor, G. O., Okoro, C. O., Joseph, O. V., & Efejene, I. O. (2025). Public Health implications of the microbiological analysis of Zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) drink produced and hawked in Eket, South-South Nigeria. Tropical Journal of Drug Research, 2(9), 219-224. https://doi.org/10.26538/tjdr.vol2no9.72

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