Microbial contaminants on some fish contact surfaces in Sokoto, Nigeria

Abstract

Sokoto central market and two privately owned fish cold room and distribution outlets were visited between August and September, 2005 to collect surface swabs. The sampled surfaces included a concrete table and two basins from the market, weighing pans, floor and walls of cold rooms from the two distribution outlets. Five swabs each were taken from the contact surfaces. Out of 45 samples obtained from concrete table surface, basins, weighing pans, walls and floors of cold rooms, the table surface and the two basins from the market had the highest bacteria and fungi isolates of 43.9% and 48.6% respectively. The predominant bacterial and fungal isolates were Staphylococcus species (25.0%) and Rhizopus stolonifer (47.5%). In view of the importance of some of the microbial isolates obtained in this study as primary causes of food-borne illnesses, there is the need to improve on personal and environmental hygiene to reduce contamination of food contact surfaces that may serve as direct agents of transmission of diseases to susceptible population. Keywords: Fish; contact surfaces; bacteria; fungi; Nigeria Animal Production Research Advances Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 168-171