Microbiological Quality of Commercially Available Seafood in Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63561/jabs.v3i1.1172Keywords:
Microbiological quality, Seafoods, Public Health, Animal Protein, VitaminAbstract
The microbiological quality of seafood samples was examined based on distribution routes (Ogbeogonogo, Oko, Cable, and Okwe market) and species (shrimp, snail, fish, and crab). Bacterial contaminants were isolated and identified in order to evaluate the microbial quality of the samples. Standard microbiological techniques were used to collect and characterize 32 bacterial isolates. Salmonella spp. (32.08%), Escherichia coli (22.64%), and Staphylococcus aureus (16.98%) were the most common species among the eight bacterial genera that were found. Pseudomonas spp. (5.66%), Enterobacter cloacae (1.89%), and Proteus spp. (1.89%) were found at low frequency, although Listeria spp. and Shigella spp. accounted for 9.43% each. The high prevalence of Salmonella and E. coli suggests significant environmental and fecal contamination, posing a serious threat to public health. Listeria, Shigella, and Staphylococcus species are additional indicators of post-handling and storage contamination. Five main pathogens Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Shigella spp., and Staphylococcus aureus were identified by biochemical test results. These organisms are known to cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis, and systemic infections, making them of great public health importance. In order to guarantee safe consumption and lessen outbreaks of foodborne illness, these findings highlight the necessity of better hygiene procedures, microbiological surveillance, and public health education.
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