Contamination with pathogenic bacteria from the human/animal reservoir can occur when the landing place is unhygienic or when the fish are washed with contaminated water. Upon the processing of fish, its exposure to water is a critical part as pathogens may be present in the water used which can cause contamination and spoilage (Shoolongela & Schneider, 2012).
Contamination of food can occur because of problems in food production, preparation, storage or cooking. The aquatic environment and soft tissue of fishes make it extremely susceptible to microbial contamination. Contamination commonly occurs in the environment in which the seafood (fish) is usually caught, during harvesting, and preparation (Wekell, Manger, Kolburn, Adams & Hill, 1994).
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Open marine waters are free from Salmonella but estuaries and contaminated coastal waters may harbor the pathogen. High incidence of Salmonella spp. in gills was reported by Prinyaka (2014). 16 % (5.92) of 37 yellowfin tuna examined by Jianadasa B.K.K.K. (2014) showed positive results which could have been the result of direct contact between contaminated water. Salmonella was also detected in significant numbers on cutting board, fish storage area and knives and ice containers on the market (Ponnerassery et. al., …show more content…
Temperatures of 35-37°C for 18-24 hours on defined media allow its optimum growth. Temperatures 5.3°C for S. Heidelberg and 6.2°C for S. Typhimurium are the lowest temperatures at which growth has been reported. On the other hand, 45°C have been reported to be the maximum temperature limit for growth (Jay, Martin, & David, 2005).
Salmonellae are indole, Voges Proskauer, and urea negative. They are methyl red, Simmons citate and H2S producing positive. Salmonella suspect colonies grow as red colonies with a black center in Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate (XLD) agar. Red slant (alkaline) and yellow butt (acid) with H2S production is another characteristic of Salmonella in Triple Sugar Iron (TSI) agar (Quinn et. al., 1994). On the other hand, serology or serotyping is based on the characterization of the somatic (O), flagellar (H), and envelope (V)