The study determines the Microbiological Quality of Hawking Plantain Chip Snacks in Different Location in Ado Metropolis. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to examine the physicochemical involved in plantain chips snacks, assess the total aerobic bacteria, coliform and fungal Count of each plantain chips varieties, and assess the microbiological quality of prepared snacks sold in Ado Metropolis, Ekiti State. Plantain chips are prepared by washing the fruits, peeling, slicing, salting and frying the sliced fruits in hot edible oil. Thereafter, the fried sliced-fruits are packaged in potable and transparent nylon bags, ready for sale. Microbial bioloads of different microbial groups for the four different busy locations studied showed, total aerobic bacterial counts ranges from (2.1±0.70) x102 CFU/g to (4.0±0.15) x104 CFU/g, coliform count ranges from (0.7±0.36) x101 CFU/g to (2.6±0.45) x102 CFU/g and fungal count ranges from (0.4±0.67) x101 CFU/g to (2.2±0.23) x103 CFU/g. Seven different bacterial and four fungal isolates were identified to include Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Bacillus species, Pseudomonas species, Clostridium species, Enterococcus species, Klebsiella species, and Aspergillus species, Penicillium species, Rhizopus species, Mucor species respectively. The demand for plantain chips within the country is high, with supply struggling to meet demand. This has hampered the status of this crop as a foreign exchange earner. It remains an important staple food, as well as the raw material for many products. It also serves as a source of revenue for many people and as raw material for industries producing value-added products in many parts of Nigeria.
