Request Paper

Abstract
The bacteriology quality of hawked zobo beverages was conducted in oko, Anambra state, Nigeria. Zobo drinks were randomly bought from the popular market (Eke oko market), and their bacteriological quality was examined using standard microbiological procedures.The analysis showed that the samples' pH ranged from 2.9 to 3.2. While the total coliform count ranged from 0.3 x 104 cfu/ml to 5.6 x 104 cfu/ml, the total aerobic bacterial count varied from 0.5 x 105 cfu/ml to 6.0 x 105 cfu/ml. For each test sample, a count corresponds to an average value. With a total aerobic bacterial count of 1.3 x 105 cfu/ml and a total coliform count of 2.1 x 104 cfu/ml, the control sample also showed some levels of contamination. The total aerobic bacterial count in every sample that was examined, including the control sample, was higher than the acceptable limit of 104 cfu/ml. Since the required sanitary requirements were followed throughout preparation, it is probable that the ground spices and additives, which are typically applied uncooked, are what contaminated the control samples. Five different bacterial isolates, including Escherichia coli, Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus aureus, Lactobacillus spp, and Pseudomonas spp., were identified as a result of the morphological and biochemical characteristics of the bacterial isolates. The research revealed that zobo beverages sold in markets may serve as carriers of food-borne disease, necessitating the development of good manufacturing practices (GMP) and post-production preservation and packaging techniques. Keywords: Bacteriological analysis, Hygiene, and Hibiscus sabdariffa