Investigation on the Microbial Profile of Frozen Foods: Fish and Meat

Oranusi, S. U. and Obioha, T.U. and Adekeye, B. Temitope (2014) Investigation on the Microbial Profile of Frozen Foods: Fish and Meat. International Journal of Advanced Research in Biological Sciences, 1 (2). pp. 71-78. ISSN 2348-8069

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Abstract

Freezing preserves food by stopping the growth and multiplication of microbes or by halting the foods own enzyme activity that would otherwise cause the food to rot. There have been reports of illness involving frozen foods due to contamination post-harvest. This study seeks to investigate the microbial profile of frozen fish and meat. Fifteen samples each of Trachurus trachurus, Scomber scombrus, Urophycis tenuis, Clupea harengus and poultry meatchicken, turkey and gizzard was purchased from different cold rooms and retail stores for microbiological analysis. Coliforms were detected in all the meat samples and with counts ranging from 7.0x103 - 5.0x106. Gizzard and chicken had significantly high (P< 0.05) coliform count. The head and intestinal regions of the fish have significantly high (P< 0.05) TAPC compared to the skin. The skin and the head region have significantly high (P< 0.05) coliform and fungi counts compared to the intestine. The microbial isolates from the fish and meat samples include S. aureus, E. coli and spp of Bacillus, Klebsiella, Salmonella, Flavobacterium, Listeria and Pseudomonas. Fungi isolates include spp of Aspergillus, Penicillium and Alternaria. Trichodina and Isopod spp of parasites were detected in some fish samples. Although freezing retard pathogens multiplication, post harvest contaminants can multiply during thawing to a level that can have a major impact on the quality of the final consumer product. It is advanced that frozen foods must be properly cooked before consumption and effective hazard analysis and critical control point implemented

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Freezing , frozen fish and meat; Coliforms, TAPC, S. aureus, E. coli, Aspergillus, Penicillium
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences > School of Biological Sciences
Depositing User:	Mr Solomon Bayoko
Date Deposited:	17 Jan 2015 17:39
Last Modified:	17 Jan 2015 17:39
URI:	http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/id/eprint/3335

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