ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
Research Paper
Volume 2, Issue 2 - September 2026
Paper ID: CRSIJ26000502
Author(s): Abba Madaki Abba, S.O Adewoye, Rabiu Abba, Umar Mamuda, Sagir Hallai Gambo, Sabiu Ali Ibrahim
Category: Medical Sciences
Research Area: Public Health Microbiology, Environmental Health, and Food and Water Safety.
Pages: 1042-1051
Published Date: 30-10-2026
Volume/Issue: Volume 2 Issue 2 September-2026
ISSN (Online): 3108-1584
This article is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Ice blocks are widely sold in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, to cool drinks and food and are sometimes consumed directly, yet their microbial quality had not been reported. This study identified the bacteria and fungi present in ice blocks sold for public consumption and compared production sites with vendor locations. A laboratory-based cross-sectional design was used. Twelve ice-block samples (two per location) were collected from three production sites and three vendor locations between 6 and 15 July 2026 and examined by culture-based bacteriological and mycological methods. Total bacterial counts were expressed as CFU/mL, isolates were identified to genus level, and results were analysed descriptively. All 12 samples (100%) showed both bacterial and fungal growth. Total bacterial counts ranged from 5.2 × 10³ to 2.1 × 10⁴ CFU/mL and were higher in vendor samples (mean 1.6 × 10⁴ CFU/mL) than in production-site samples (mean 8.5 × 10³ CFU/mL); every vendor sample exceeded every production-site sample. Eight bacterial genera were isolated: Escherichia coli (91.7%), Staphylococcus spp. (83.3%), Klebsiella spp. (50.0%), Enterobacter, Proteus and Pseudomonas spp. (25.0% each), and Salmonella and Shigella spp. (16.7% each); Salmonella and Shigella were isolated only from vendor samples. Six fungal genera were isolated, led by Aspergillus spp. (58.3%) and Penicillium spp. (50.0%). Every ice-block sample was contaminated with bacteria and fungi, including faecal indicator bacteria, and contamination was heavier at vendor locations. The findings describe the selected locations and period and are not a test of compliance with a standard. They point to a possible public health hazard, especially for children and immunocompromised people, and support water treatment, equipment hygiene, covered storage and routine regulatory sampling of ice.
Ice blocks, microbial contamination, Escherichia coli, fungi, food safety, Kano Metropolis
Abba Madaki Abba, S.O Adewoye, Rabiu Abba, Umar Mamuda, Sagir Hallai Gambo, Sabiu Ali Ibrahim, "Bacterial and Fungal Contamination of Ice Blocks Sold for Public Consumption in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria", Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 1042-1051, Sep. 2026.
Abba Madaki Abba, S.O Adewoye, Rabiu Abba, Umar Mamuda, Sagir Hallai Gambo, Sabiu Ali Ibrahim (2026). Bacterial and Fungal Contamination of Ice Blocks Sold for Public Consumption in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria. Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, 2(2), 1042-1051.
Abba Madaki Abba, S.O Adewoye, Rabiu Abba, Umar Mamuda, Sagir Hallai Gambo, Sabiu Ali Ibrahim. "Bacterial and Fungal Contamination of Ice Blocks Sold for Public Consumption in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria." Cosmo Research & Science International Journal, vol. 2, no. 2, September 2026, pp. 1042-1051.
@article{CRSIJ26000502,
author = {Abba Madaki Abba, S.O Adewoye, Rabiu Abba, Umar Mamuda, Sagir Hallai Gambo, Sabiu Ali Ibrahim},
title = {Bacterial and Fungal Contamination of Ice Blocks Sold for Public Consumption in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria},
journal = {Cosmo Research and Science International Journal},
year = {2026},
volume = {2},
number = {2},
pages = {1042-1051},
issn = {3108-1584},
url = {https://cosmorsij.com/published/CRSIJ26000502.pdf},
abstract = {Ice blocks are widely sold in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, to cool drinks and food and are sometimes consumed directly, yet their microbial quality had not been reported. This study identified the bacteria and fungi present in ice blocks sold for public consumption and compared production sites with vendor locations. A laboratory-based cross-sectional design was used. Twelve ice-block samples (two per location) were collected from three production sites and three vendor locations between 6 and 15 July 2026 and examined by culture-based bacteriological and mycological methods. Total bacterial counts were expressed as CFU/mL, isolates were identified to genus level, and results were analysed descriptively. All 12 samples (100%) showed both bacterial and fungal growth. Total bacterial counts ranged from 5.2 × 10³ to 2.1 × 10⁴ CFU/mL and were higher in vendor samples (mean 1.6 × 10⁴ CFU/mL) than in production-site samples (mean 8.5 × 10³ CFU/mL); every vendor sample exceeded every production-site sample. Eight bacterial genera were isolated: Escherichia coli (91.7%), Staphylococcus spp. (83.3%), Klebsiella spp. (50.0%), Enterobacter, Proteus and Pseudomonas spp. (25.0% each), and Salmonella and Shigella spp. (16.7% each); Salmonella and Shigella were isolated only from vendor samples. Six fungal genera were isolated, led by Aspergillus spp. (58.3%) and Penicillium spp. (50.0%). Every ice-block sample was contaminated with bacteria and fungi, including faecal indicator bacteria, and contamination was heavier at vendor locations. The findings describe the selected locations and period and are not a test of compliance with a standard. They point to a possible public health hazard, especially for children and immunocompromised people, and support water treatment, equipment hygiene, covered storage and routine regulatory sampling of ice.},
keywords = {Ice blocks, microbial contamination, Escherichia coli, fungi, food safety, Kano Metropolis},
month = {September}
}