Publication: Bacterial Contamination Dynamics and Fungal Contamination Levels of Fish Rastrineobola argentea and Oreochromis niloticus from Lake Victoria Basin of Kenya
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2014-01-04
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The Journal of Food Technology
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Abstract
Fish contamination by microbes, mainly bacteria and fungi, may lead to food poisoning characterized by gastrointestinal disease and is therefore a major threat to public health. This study was designed to determine the bacterial contamination dynamics and fungal contamination levels of fish Rastrineobola argentea and Oreochromis niloticus from Lake Victoria basin, Kenya. Using crosssectional study design, fresh and sun-dried fish samples were randomly collected from three fish landing beaches and from three markets, in Lake Victoria Basin western Kenya, and taken to laboratory for processing and analysis using standard microbiological procedures. Fungal contamination and moisture content in fish were also analysed using standard procedures. Single factor ANOVA was used to determine increase in bacterial load with increase in time for the fish samples from different sampling sites. Differences in means of fungi species isolated from dagaa or tilapia, or in percentage moisture contents between dagaa or tilapia or between fish from beaches and markets was determined by paired two tailed t-Test. With increase in time, there was significant increase in bacterial loads in fresh fish. Sun-dried fish from the markets had significantly higher fungal species isolates compared to fish from the beaches p = 0.012, sun-dried R. argentea from the markets had significantly higher fungal species isolates compared to sun-dried O. niloticus from the markets, p<0.00001; moisture content of fish from the beaches was significantly lower p = 0.03. A total of 11 fungi species were isolated from the sun-dried fish. Standard health practise should be adopted to avoid microbial fish contamination.