Honey is used for nutritional, medicinal and industrial purposes. The bacterial quality of honey from different retail outlets in Lafia metropolis was evaluated using standard microbiological techniques. Twenty-four honey samples were purchased, labeled and total anaerobic bacterial count determined. The samples presented different level of bacteriological contamination. The total anaerobic bacterial count for the samples ranged from 3.3x102 to 1.3x103 cfu/mL. Bacteria isolated from the honey samples included Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Micrococcus sp., Streptococcus sp., and Escherichia sp. The most predominate (47.83%) bacteria isolated were Bacillus sp. There was no noticeable coliform and Salmonella sp. growths in the 24 samples purchased. The variation in bacteria load and species at the various retail outlets and absence of bacteria growth in two retail outlets (H12 and H20) is an indication of the processing practice, totally free of any form of adulteration and as well as good hygienic condition at these outlets. However, the presence of these bacteria species in some samples might be attributed to some level of adulteration or poor handling at harvesting, packaging or storage. Therefore, may be cause for concern as these pathogenic strains of the microbes can be of serious public healthcare challenge.

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