MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF TRADITIONAL MARKET CURED FISH IN TANZANIA |
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Authors: | JOVIN K MUGULA MONICA H LYIMO |
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Affiliation: | Department of Food Science and Technology Sokoine University of Agriculture P.O. Box 3006, Morogoro, Tanzania |
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Abstract: | The microbiological quality of six varieties of retail market traditionally cured fish in Morogoro, Tanzania was investigated over a five-month period. The fish were contaminated with bacteria and molds at levels of: total aerobes, 106 - 1.7 × 107 c.f.u/g; faecal coliforms, 1.1 × 101 - 2.5 × 103 MPN/g; faecal streptococci, 1.4 × 101 - 1.3 × 103 MPN/g; Staphylococcus aureus, 1.3 × 103 - 8.6 × 103 c.f.u/g; Aspergillus flavus group, 2.1 × 101 - 2 × 102 c.f.u/g of fish. Of faecal coliform, 45% of the isolates were Escherichia coli. Twenty-five percent of the S. aureus isolates were coagulase positive. Sixteen percent of A. flavus isolates were aflatoxigenic. Aflatoxin contamination ranged from O to 18.5 μg/kg of fish. Insect infestation by Dermestes spp. and mites was observed. The results of this preliminary study emphasize the importance of proper processing and handling offish in the tropics in order to safeguard public health . |
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