Abstract
Manila Bay contributes significantly to the Philippines’ economy through industry, trade, tourism, and agriculture. However, microbiological contamination in the bay is putting it at risk in the present. Pathogen contamination of the water poses a serious threat to food safety, implicating public health. To address these concerns, the present study examined the prevalence of Salmonella in six different aquaculture commodities, Perna viridis (mussel), Crassostrea iridalei (oyster), Scylla serrata (crab), Penaeus spp. (shrimp), Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia), and Chanos chanos (milkfish), as well as in environmental water from growing areas. A tandem approach of culture-based and real-time PCR methods for the isolation and identification of Salmonella was carried out. To accurately identify the isolates, a real-time PCR Taqman assay based on the invA gene was used. Among the fishery resources examined, no positive samples were observed from C. chanos and O. niloticus. In addition, Salmonella was found in twenty (20) samples, representing 16.26% of all aquaculture commodities collected. Furthermore, Salmonella was found in 13.58% of the 81 environmental water samples examined. P. viridis had the highest prevalence of 55.55% out of 18 samples examined. Samples contaminated with Salmonella failed to meet the regulatory limits set by BFAR FAO 210 series 2001 and EC No. 2073/2005. In addition, it was observed that the sample matrix had a significant impact on the presence of Salmonella (p < 0.05). However, the spatial and temporal distribution of Salmonella did not vary greatly (p > 0.05). This study underscores the importance of imposing strict policies by regulatory bodies to prevent diseases, thus avoiding severe health implications.
Highlights
Aquaculture is a major source of seafood comprising 110.2 million tons with an estimated value of USD 243.5 billion in 2016 [1]
The culture-based method was performed to confirm the presence of Salmonella in fish and fishery resources as well as in environmental waters collected from growing areas
PCR assay was utilized to detect the presence of Salmonella in fish and fishery resources
Summary
Aquaculture is a major source of seafood comprising 110.2 million tons with an estimated value of USD 243.5 billion in 2016 [1]. In 2012, aquaculture met about 50% of the global demand for fish and fishery products, with about 90% of aquaculture products coming from the Asian region. In the Philippines, aquaculture produced 3.1 million tons of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and other aquatic animals valued at USD 3.92 billion [2]. Aquaculture was a major contributor to the country’s total fish production in 2019, accounting for 41% of the total value. Provinces along the Manila Bay area such as Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Cavite had aquaculture production valued at approximately USD. Manila Bay is characterized as a semi-enclosed body of water that represents a significant part of the country’s economy through industry, commerce, tourism, and agriculture
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