PROTEOLYTIC MICROFLORA CONTAMINANTS OF ALEASTES NURSE (SALTED FISH)

Document Type : Research article

Authors

Abstract

A total of 99 proteolytic bacterial isolates were collected from Aleastes nurse (salted fish). These associated proteolytic bacteria were of thermophilic, mesophilic and psychrotrophic groups. The counts of the aforementioned microorganisms ranged from <10-1x104,5x104-2.1x108 and 1x104-3.5x106 CFU/g respectively. The identified isolates of thermophilic proteolytic were Bacillus megaterium, B. cereus, B. firmus, B.licheniformis and B.subtilis. The mesophilic group includes; Vibrio spp < /em>., Staph. aureus, S. epidermidis, B. subtilis, B.Icheniformis, Micrococcus luteus, M.roseus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The identified psychrotrophic group includes, Staph. aureus, S. epidermidis, Flavobacterium and Aeromans hydrophilia, Strept. faecalis, S.faecium, Micrococcus roseus, P. fluorescens and vibrio spp < /em>. The public health significance of the different proteolytic isolates and the suggestive control measures to prevent contamination of salted fish with proteolytic microorganisms were given.

Keywords