RECOVERY AND GROWTH OF SOME FOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS IN IRRADIATED LOW AND HIGH FAT FISH DURING STORAGE AT 2-4C

This report presents results of the investigations carried out to understand the role of fat levels in fish on postirradiation recovery/survival and growth of four pathogens generally encountered in seafoods. Fish of low [golden anchoy, (Coillia dussumierij, 0.39%] as well as high fat [Indian sardine , (Sardinella longiceps), 7.1 %] content (with endogenous biota were inoculated separately with cells of Listeria monocytogenes 036 , Yersinia enterocolitica 5692 , Bacillus cereus and Salmonella typhimurium; and irradiated at doses of 1 and 3 kGy. The number of viable organisms for each was monitored for two weeks at 2-4C on appropriate selective media. The four pathogens studied exhibited variation in their ability to recover from radiation damage as evidenced in terms of lag period; but their recovery and subsequent growth was not influenced by the fat levels offish. No increased growth of any of the pathogens tested was evidenced in irradiated fish, when compared with nonirradiated one .