Microbial Assessment of Dried Fish Sold in Streets and Supermarkets in Harare Central Business District: Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study focused on the microbiological quality of dried fish sold in the streets and supermarkets in Harare Central Business District. The analysis was based on determining the microbiological load of dried fish samples. Samples were systematically collected from three different streets and three different supermarkets each week. The study period was from January 2020 to April 2020.The samples were analyzed for Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus spp and Penicillium spp. The methods used were pour plate, streaking and microscopy. Results obtained from this study showed that street sold fish microbial levels were within unacceptable levels food safety standards. Supermarket sold dried fish microbial levels were also within the unacceptable levels. In comparing the levels of indicator microorganisms between streets and supermarkets, the results showed that the contamination of level was similar for all the microorganisms except Salmonella. Purchasing dried fish in supermarkets does not guarantee food safety. It was concluded that street and supermarket sold dried fish pose high food safety concerns and can be a potential source of foodborne illnesses.