Analysis of the Microbiological Quality of Processed Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinella aurita Obtained from Processing Houses and Retail Markets in Accra and Tema, Ghana

Type Journal Article - World Journal of Fish and Marine Sciences
Title Analysis of the Microbiological Quality of Processed Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinella aurita Obtained from Processing Houses and Retail Markets in Accra and Tema, Ghana
Author(s)
Volume 5
Issue 6
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
Page numbers 686-692
URL http://www.idosi.org/wjfms/wjfms5(6)13/19.pdf
Abstract
Microbiological quality analyses were conducted on processed anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and round sardinella (Sardinella aurita) collected from processing houses and local retail markets in Accra and Tema to assess their quality. A total of approximately 500 g each of smoked and sun-dried E. encrasicolus and smoked S. aurita were randomly collected from randomly selected processing houses and retail markets from Accra and Tema for analysis. The serial dilution, pour plate and spread plate methods were used to enumerate levels of total heterotrophic bacteria, total coliform bacteria, yeast and moulds and Bacillus cereus colonies in the samples. The results showed that samples obtained from the retail markets recorded total heterotrophic bacteria counts ranging from 1.9 x 10 – 5.9 x 10 cfu/g, while those obtained from the processing houses 4 5 ranged from 1.2 x 10 – 6.5 x 10 cfu/g, which were within accepted limits (1 x 10 cfu/g) for fish and fish products. 3 4 6 There were counts of total coliform bacteria, yeast and moulds and B. cereus for the samples, but they were all within accepted limits, except for B. cereus, which recorded counts higher than accepted limits (1 x 10 cfu/g) 4 for some samples obtained from retail markets in both Tema and Accra. The contaminated samples were attributed to poor processing, packaging, transporting and storage conditions used by the fish traders. Continuous education of fish traders to use general good management practices and regular hygiene inspections by the standards authority is however required to improve the microbial quality of processed fish in local retail markets.

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