Microbial quality assessment of commercially available dried fishes of Gujarat

Abstract

The present study was carried out to assess the microbiological quality of traditionally dried and commercially available fish such as Eel, Croaker, Gold spotted anchovy, Bombay duck , Greater lizard fish, Ribbon fish, Horse Mackerel and Cat fish collected from in and around Veraval fish market, Gujarat during the summer months of March to June, 2016. Microbial quality parameters such as TPC, E.coli, Staphylococci, Fecal Streptococci, Salmonella, Vibriosis, Listeria monocytogenes, Total fungal and yeast count were analysed. The TPC ranged between 1.2 x 102 to 2.35 x 105 cfu.g-1. Total fungal and yeast count were found within the acceptable limit of TPC except in Bombay duck dry fish samples, wherein the count was TNTC and was exceeded the acceptable limit of 5,00,000 cfu.g-1. Moreover, there was no pathogenic bacterium such as E.coli, coagulase positive S.aureus, catalase negative group D. Steptococci, Salmonella, Vibrio cholerae, V.parahemolytica and L.monocytogenes were found among these dried fish samples. The fungal counts were noticed in all the dried fish samples with ranged between 4.0 x 101 to9.6 x 103 cfu.g-1 in Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar (DRBC Agar) and the fungal species were belong to the Aspergillus, Penecillium, Mucor and Rhizobus species. Majority of the fungal species are mainly of Aspergillus species. The Gold spotted anchovy and Bombay duck dry fish samples also contains the total yeast counts of less than 10 cfu.g-1. The present investigation revealed that the overall microbial acceptable quality of dry fish samples prepared under traditional sun drying method was good and the quality should be maintained further by proper packaging and storing of the dry fish samples until reach the consumers.