Browsing by Author "Barnes, A.R."

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The effect of age on haematological studies in ostrich (Struthio camelus)
(2012) Aikins-Wilson, S.; Barnes, A.R.; Obese, F.Y.; Agyei-Henaku, K.A.
Blood samples were collected from 56, 60 and 64-week old ostriches (8 birds per age group) from a private farm (Crossgee Farms) and the haematological profiles in the plasma of the birds determined. The White Blood Cells (WBC) counts significantly (P < 0.05) decreased with increase in age. The WBC counts for 56-week old ostriches were higher than that for the 64-week olds (96.78 x 109/L versus 84.3 x 109/L), with an overall mean total count of 90.77 x 109/L. The Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) was significantly (P < 0.05) affected by age. The 64 weeks old ostriches had a higher value than the 60 weeks old ostriches (105.20 fL versus 81.29 fL). The overall mean MCV level was 94.21 fL. Lymphocyte, granulocytes, red blood cells, Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), platelets, haemoglobin and packed cell volume were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by age. Results from this study demonstrate that age influences the WBC and MCV of the African Black Ostrich reared under humid tropical conditions as prevailing in Ghana.
Effect Of Room Temperature Curing On Microbial Population Of Cured Pork Products
(University of Ghana, 1999-06) Daddey-Adjei, E.K.; Akanmori, B.D.; Barnes, A.R.; University of Ghana, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science
A total of 64 fresh bacons of average weight 1.3kg and 64 fresh hams of average weight 4.6kg were used in the project. The bacons were randomly divided into 2 groups of 32. Sixteen 32 bacons were divided equally and dry cured under room temperature (DCRT) for 2,4,5 and 6 days respectively. There were 4 replicates in each treatment. The rest of the 16 bacons which were also dry cured for 2,4,5 and 6 days but under cold temperature (DCCT), served as control. The second group of 32 bacons were similarly divided into 2 groups and pickle cured at room temperature (PCRT) and cold temperatures (PCCT) respectively for 2, 4, 5 and 6 days. The mean room temperature and cold-room temperature for curing were 28°C and 0°C respectively.. All the fresh hams were treated in a similar manner. There were four replicates in each treatment. All products were smoked with hard wood shavings for ten hours at an average temperature of 59°C and left intact in the smokehouse for storage under average ambient temperature of 31°C and relative humidity of 68°C and relative humidity of 68%. Random sampling of deep muscle tissues of fresh hams and bacons for microbiological analysis was done before curing. Sampling for microbiological analysis was carried out after 1, 4 and 8 days of storage. Standard bacteriological techniques were used to enumerate and identify microorganisms. Staphylococcus sp., Streptococcus sp and Proteus sp were isolated from the dry and pickle cure before their use on the fresh bacons and hams. Proteus sp and Staphylococcus sp. were isolated from all cured hams and bacons. Streptococcus sp. were however isolated from only two DCCT 14 bacons, two DCCT and one PCRT hams under ambient storage conditions, With the exception of bacons dry cured for two days, all room temperature and cold-room temperature cured bacons and hams carried Bacillus sp., Escherichia colI, Serratia sp., Citrobacter ■sp. and Pseudomonas sp.. Enterococcus sp. was isolated from only bacons dry cured at cold-room temperature for 5 and 6 days and hams dry cured at cold room temperature for 4 and 5 days and bacon pickle cured under cold room temperature for 2 days. Apart from MoniHa species which was isolated from dry cured room temperature bacons after 2 days of curing, no other fungus was observed growing on all the products during the curing. Fungi however grew on all cured products except the 2-day dry cured bacons under room and coldroom temperature conditions. As the days of curing of dry bacons and hams at room temperature increased, there was a corresponding increase in total viable counts (TCVs) of bacteria. The odour of the dry cured products also deteriorated leading to the termination of curing on the 6th day. Similarly, the TVCs obtained for bacons and hams pickle cured under room temperature increased with days of curing leading to worsening of the off-odour. This led to termination of the curing on the 5th days. On the contrary, increasing the days for dry curing or pickie curing under cold-room temperatures resulted in decreased TVCs when analysed after smoking and storage for one day under ambient conditions. Comparison of the TVCs of room temperature hams and bacons to their respective controls did not usually show very large differences in magnitude during storage. Hams that were dry cured under room temperature or cold-room temperature respectively had higher TVCs than bacons cured under similar conditions.
Evaluation of Selected Local Spices on Sensory and Microbial Characteristics of Fresh Pork Sausage
(University of Ghana, 2015-07) Coleman, F.N.; Ohene-Adjei, S.; Barnes, A.R.; University of Ghana , College of Basic and Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture
Xylopia aethiopica (African pepper) and Monodora myristica (African nutmeg) are used as spices in Ghanaian local dishes and as traditional medicine. The objective of this study was to substitute two spices in “normal” fresh pork sausage formulation with selected local spices and evaluate their effect on sensory and microbiological characteristics of the product. A 4x4 factorial design was used with 4 spice treatments (Control – Syzygium Gaertner (clove), Allium cepa (onion), Piper nigrum (white pepper) and Myristica fragrans (nutmeg); African pepper (AP) substituted for white pepper; African nutmeg (AN) substituted for nut meg (Myristica fragrans); and combination of AP and AN (AP*AN) at 4 inclusion levels (0%, 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.15%). AP and AN were obtained from the local market in Accra. They were cleaned, dried and blended. The spices were irradiated with dose of 10KGY to reduce microbial load. The experiment had three replicates each replicate was made up of lb treatments. Six trained panelists evaluated the sausages using a 15 cm continuous scale on six sensory parameters (crumbliness, juiciness, palatability, saltiness, off flavour and overall liking), the formulated sausages with the selected local spices at varying concentrations did not differ (p ˃0.05) from the control product in all the sensory parameters. However, AP treated sausage at 0.15% was overall rated high. Culture of specimen-Aerobic bacteria, coliforms and E. coli were counted for the respective treatments stored for 0, 3, and 6 days at 4oC. Substituting nutmeg with AN up to 0.15% significantly (p ˃ 0.05) increased aerobic bacteria count. However, the substitution did not affect coliform and E. coli counts. Microbial count during storage at 0, 3 and 6 days at 4oC exhibited different growth patterns. For aerobic plate count, mean log10 CFU/g count for aerobic bacteria and coliforms significantly increased between day 0 and day 3 and decreased from day 3 to 6. Coliform, mean log count similarly increased from day 0 to day 3. No significant (p ˃ 0.05) difference in log count was observed from day 3 to day 6. E coli log10 CFU/g count decreased from day 0 to day 3, however, a significant increase in log count was observed from day 3 to day 6. The present study shows that Xylopia aethiopica and Monodora myristica can be used to substitute for Piper nigrum and Myritica fragrans respectively, in the manufacture of fresh pork sausages without affecting the sensory attributes and overall liking of the product. However, the addition of such spices could alter microbial profiles significantly.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of Salmonella Sp., Shigella Sp. and Escherichia Coli in Fresh Retail Chicken in the Accra Metropolis
(University of Ghana, 2015-07) Guetaba, M.Y.; Ohene-Adjei, S.; Barnes, A.R.; University of Ghana,College of Basic and Applied Sciences School of Agriculture Department of Animal Science
Prevalence and antibiotic resistance (ABR) profiles of selected food borne pathogens in retailed fresh chicken, sold in the Accra Metropolis, were investigated. Fifty (50) fresh whole chicken carcasses, purchased from commercial cold stores, open markets, meat shops and local poultry farms, in the Accra metropolis, were used. Samples for evaluation were swabs from the breast, wing and vent area of the chicken carcasses. Target pathogens, Salmonella sp., Shigella sp. and E. coli were isolated using standard microbiological and biochemical methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the Disc diffusion method using 8 commonly used antibiotics: Ampicillin (10μg), Chloramphenicol (30μg), Cefotaxime (30ug), Ceftriaxone (30μg), Gentamicin (10μg), Cefuroxime (30ug), Cotrimoxazole (25μg) and Tetracycline (10μg). A total of 147 confirmed isolates were obtained from 3 anatomical regions: the wing, breast and the vent of the chicken dressed on the farms and those purchased from commercial cold stores. Data was analyzed using Statistical Analysis System version 12. E. coli and Salmonella sp. isolates were confirmed for both locally dressed and imported chickens. An increased likelihood of occurrence of target isolates was observed in locally dressed chicken (79.1%) compared to imported (28.9%). The number of Salmonella sp. isolates from the commercial cold stores (27.52%) was similar to that from the local farms (25.50%). Similarly the number of E. coli isolates from farms (25.50%) was not different from those isolated from markets (21.48%). No Shigella sp. isolate was confirmed. For E. coli (n=70) and Salmonella sp. (n=79) isolates respectively, resistance to Chloramphenicol was 9% to 24%; for Cefuroxime was 9.4% to 36.9%, for Cotrimoxazole; 31.5% to 40.9%; for Tetracycline; 31.5% to 47.7% and for Ampicillin; 32% to 48.3%. The Antibiotic resistance associated with Salmonella sp. was higher than for E coli. However, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) between them.