Microbiological Quality Assessment of Street-Vended Suya (Spiced Grilled Meat) Sold in Wadata Market, Makurdi Metropolis

Street-vended suya is a popular ready to eat meat product in Nigeria; however, it is highly susceptible to microbial contamination, posing significant public health risks. This study assessed the microbiological quality of Street-vended suya sold in Wadata Market, Makurdi Metropolis. A total of 60 suya samples were collected from six vendors and analyzed using standard microbiological techniques. Total viable bacterial counts (TVBC), total fungal counts (TFC), and prevalence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus were determined. Results revealed that all samples had unacceptably high TVBC with an overall mean of 4.1 × 10⁷ cfu/g, far exceeding the ICMSF acceptable limit of 10⁵ cfu/g. The mean TFC was 6.5 × 10³ cfu/g. E. coli was detected in 100.0% of samples, S. aureus in 88.3%, and Salmonella spp. in 46.7%. Nine bacterial genera were isolated, with E. coli (100.0%), S. aureus (88.3%), and Bacillus spp. (75.0%) being most frequent. Six fungal genera were isolated, with Aspergillus niger (75.0%) and Aspergillus flavus (63.3%) predominating. Vendor variation was observed, with significant differences for E. coli (p = 0.012) and S. aureus (p = 0.018). All 60 samples (100.0%) were classified as unacceptable according to ICMSF standards. The study concludes that Street-vended suya sold in Wadata Market is heavily contaminated with pathogenic bacteria and toxigenic fungi at levels exceeding acceptable safety limits, indicating significant public health risks. Improved processing, handling, storage, and regulatory enforcement are urgently needed to protect consumer health.