Microbiological Analysis of Three of Smoked Fish Obtained from the Ondo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The consumption of smoked fish usually obtained from the open shelf in most communities of the developing countries has raised some health related concerns. This research investigated the microbiological quality of three commercially important smoked fish, Clarias gariepinus (African mud catfish), Sardinella eba (herring) and Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia) obtained from fish mongers in three popular fish markets, Akure, Okitipupa and Akungba-Akoko in Ondo State, south west Nigeria. The total plate, coliform, Salmonella-shigella, Staphylococcus aureus and fungal counts of the heads, muscles and the heads of the fish samples were determined using standard methods. The ranges of the total plate, coliform, Salmonella-shigella, and Staphylococcus aureus were 1.3X104 cfu/ml - 2.8X105 cfu/ml, 3X103 cfu/ml - 1.9X105 cfu/ml, 1.2X104 cfu/ml - 5.4X104 cfu/ml and 1.4X104 cfu/ml - 2.8X105 cfu/ml respectively. The samples obtained from Akure market had the highest counts in most samples followed by those obtained from Okitipupa market while samples obtained from Akungba-Akoko market had the lowest counts. It is recommended that in order to prevent the spread of organisms that are of public health importance, fish should be processed, stored and distributed under safe hygienic conditions and good sanitary practices.