DOI: 10.26650/actavet.2018.417973
The aim of this study was to assess the
temperature, total aerobic plate count (TAPC), and histamine-producing
bacterial count (HPBC) of four types of fish, viz., sardines (Sardinella
aurita), bouge (Boops boops), saury (Trachurus mediterraneus), and mackerel
(Scomber scombrus), that are sold in three major fish markets in Tripoli’s city
center. A total of 113 samples of these fish types were collected, both in the
morning and in the evening, from July to December in the fishing season.
Results showed that the temperature of the collected fish samples ranged from
<5°C to 22°C. Of the total 113 fish samples, 5.0%, 52.0%, and 43.0% had
temperatures of <5°C, 5°C–14°C, and 15°C–22°C, respectively. The TAPC of all
the fish samples ranged from 3.0 × 103 to 3.5 × 107 colony-forming
unit/g(cfu/g) of meat (with skin), with a mean of 1.1 × 106 cfu/g. The HPBC
ranged from an estimated 5.0 × 102 to 2.7 × 106 cfu/g, with a mean of 1.8 × 105
cfu/g. Statistical analysis of the data showed a weak correlation (r = 0.05)
between TAPC and HPBC of all the fish samples collected from the three major
markets. The TAPC results revealed that 50%, 46%, 38%, and 17% of the saury,
bouge, mackerel, and sardine fish samples, respectively, did not comply with
the standard specification limit (106 cfu/g) prescribed by the Libyan
authorities. A total of 26 isolates of histamine-producing bacteria were
identified in this study. The majority of them belonged to the Enterobacteriaceae
family and were not indigenous to the marine environment. There was a variation
in the distribution of these bacterial isolates among all the fish samples
during the course of the study. However, Vibrio fluvialis, Erwinia spp., and
Klebsiella planticola were detected in all the fish samples throughout the
study period. The high TAPC and HPBC recorded in this study could be attributed
to cross-contamination due to the poor quality of the surrounding environment
and the poor hygienic practices. Therefore, there is an urgent need for proper
control of product handling conditions in the fish markets monitored in this
study.
Birincil Dil | İngilizce |
---|---|
Konular | Veteriner Cerrahi |
Bölüm | Original Article |
Yazarlar | |
Yayımlanma Tarihi | 3 Mayıs 2018 |
Yayımlandığı Sayı | Yıl 2018 Cilt: 44 Sayı: 2 |