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MICROBIOLOGICAL QUALITY OF TRADITIONAL MARKET CURED FISH IN TANZANIA
Author(s) -
MUGULA JOVIN K.,
LYIMO MONICA H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4565.1992.tb00092.x
Subject(s) - aspergillus flavus , biology , infestation , aflatoxin , veterinary medicine , tanzania , fish <actinopterygii> , coagulase , staphylococcus aureus , food science , bacteria , staphylococcus , geography , fishery , medicine , horticulture , genetics , environmental planning
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, 10 6 ‐ 1.7 × 10 7 c.f.u/g; faecal coliforms, 1.1 × 10 1 ‐ 2.5 × 10 3 MPN/g; faecal streptococci, 1.4 × 10 1 ‐ 1.3 × 10 3 MPN/g; Staphylococcus aureus, 1.3 × 10 3 ‐ 8.6 × 10 3 c.f.u/g; Aspergillus flavus group, 2.1 × 10 1 ‐ 2 × 10 2 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 .