Efficacy of Preserving Sea Foods Using <i>Marine Lactobacillus</i>

Abstract

Scombroid food poisoning is a food borne illness that results from eating spoiled (decayed) fish. Histamine is the causative agent of scombroid poisoning, a food borne chemical intoxication. Histamine is one of the main biogenic amines and it is heterocyclic and biologically active primary amine, formed post-mortem in the muscles of scombroid and non-scombroid fish. The present study was carried out to isolate histamine-producing bacteria from a local fish and to test antibacterial activity of mangrove isolates of Lactobacillus species against the histamine producing bacteria. Fresh tuna fish (Euthinus affinis) obtained from Parangipettai coast and they were divided in to three groups. One group of the fish samples were stored directly and another two group of the fish samples were dipped in cold distilled water containing bacteriocin of Lactobacillus sp. and partially purified bacteriocin (10 ml, 1% v/v) respectively. The fish samples, after treatment were stored at 5, 15, 20 and 25 0C for the period of 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, respectively. Histamine quantification was performed at an interval of 24 h for four days. According to the results obtained it was proved that mangrove isolates of Lactobacillus species having high antimicrobial activity against histamine-producing bacteria which is responsible for spoilage of sea foods.