Abstract
Studies on foodborne bacteria in hawked fish (Trachurus capensis) were carried out with 200 flesh and 24 surface swab samples collected at various selling points in Jos and surrounding suburbs. The samples were separately cultured in bacteriological broth and agar media. The isolates were identified and their viable counts determined. The analysis gave the following bacteria species: Escherichia coli, 26 (16.8%); Bacillusspecies, 25 (16%); Shigella species, 22 (14.2%); Staphylococcus aureus, 19 (12.6%);Proteus species, 12 (7.7%); Klebsiella species, 8 (5.2%); Neisseria catarrhalis, 6 (3.9%); Staphylococcus epidermidis, 4 (2.6%); Streptococcus faecalis, 4 (2.6%); Enterobacter species, 4 (2.6%); Pseudomonas species, 2 (1.2%); Lactobacillusspecies, 2 (1.2%) and Citrobacter species, 1 (0.6%). These results show the bacteria load species distribution in the hawked fish. The result is quite informative with respect to public health hazard and calls for urgent improvement in sanitation maintenance of good hygiene by food producers, handlers and vendors in the study area as a possible control measure through the processing chain. Key words: Foodborne bacteria, Fish, Trachurus capensis, bacterial load, Public Health.
Highlights
Ready-to-eat foods can be described as the status of food being ready for immediate consumption at the point of sale
Ready-to-eat fried fish (T. capensis) samples were purchased from the different selling spots located in the Jos and its environs
A total of 200 fish (Trachurus capensis) were purchased from all the selling spots; 20 each were bought from the kiosks and hawkers, while 10 each from the restaurants in each of the location
Summary
Ready-to-eat foods can be described as the status of food being ready for immediate consumption at the point of sale. These could be raw, undercooked or cooked, hot or chilled and can be consumed without further heat treatment (Tsang, 2002). Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history. They are harvested either from wild fisheries or farmed in much the same way as livestock and poultry. They are exploited by recreational fishers and fish-keeper, and are exhibited in public aquaria (Tidwell and Allan, 2001)
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