TOTAL BIOLOAD AND INCIDENCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN READY-TO-EAT MEALS SOLD IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA MAIN CAMPUS: THE CASE OF JOLLOF RICE

TOTAL BIOLOAD AND INCIDENCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN READY-TO-EAT MEALS SOLD IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA MAIN CAMPUS: THE CASE OF JOLLOF RICE

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Jollof rice is a cooking variation of rice which involves a grain of monocotyledonous plant, Oryza sativa and is the most popular staple food for a large part of the world human population, especially in Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and the West Indies (Boyce et al. 1996). Rice is the grain with the second highest worldwide production after maize (corn). Since a large portion of maize crops are grown for other purposes different from human consumption, rice is probably the most important grain with regards to human nutrition and caloric intake, providing more than one fifth of the total calories consumed world wide by humans (Chomavarin et al. 2006). In Africa, rice has been used to improve nutrition quality, food security, foster rural
development and support sustainable land care (Chomavarin et al. 2006). It is basically grown as an annual plant, and its cultivation is well suited to countries and regions with low labor cost and high rainfall, as its cultivation is very labor intensive and requires plenty of water.
The nutritional value of jollof rice is provided by its high contents in carbohydrates, sugar, fiber, energy, fat, protein, water, iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc (Kaneko et al. 1999). In Nigeria, Jollof rice is the prevalent food in most fast food centers, because of its preparation and the varieties with which it can be served. The patronages of the food vendors within the University of Abuja Main Campus have increased over time due to busy the nature of the students and other people on campus. The majority of people on campus do not prepare food themselves or take it along with them to the University. Their demand for food gives opportunity to the cafeterias and canteens to serve as the major vending sites where students and other people purchase food daily.

TOTAL BIOLOAD AND INCIDENCE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI IN READY-TO-EAT MEALS SOLD IN THE UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA MAIN CAMPUS: THE CASE OF JOLLOF RICE