Bacterial Studies on Irradiated Tropical Fish—Bombay Duck (Harpodon nehereus)

Abstract

SUMMARY— Gamma irradiation (0.4 Mrad) of Bombay duck (Havpodon nehereus) fillets sealed in polyethylene bags brought about alterations in the bacterial flora during storage at 10–12°C. Micrococcus, Pseudomondas, Ackromobacter, Flavobacterium, Microbacterium, Bacillus, Alkaligenes, and Sarcina, which comprised the initial flora of Bombay duck, were predominated by Proteus, Bacillus, Aeromonas, Micro‐cocci, and Neisseria in the spoiled samples after four days storage at 10–12°C. In contrast, absence of putrid odors in the irradiated samples stored at 10–12°C for 14 days may be attributed to the biochemically inactive nature of the predominating Micrococci.