Browsing by Author "RATHNAYAKA, R.M.M.P."

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    Identification of Possible Microbial Contamination Points and Physiochemical Changes in Bolla Fish (Selar Crumenophthalmus) During Storage and Transportation from Kuda Wella Fish Harbor to Badulla Fish Market
    (Uva Wellassa University of Sri Lanka, 2014) RATHNAYAKA, R.M.M.P.
    Improper storage and transportation conditions account for the quality deterioration of fish as it begins to spoil as soon as fish die. Spoiled fish may cause infections to the consumers. Objective of this study was to identify possible microbial contamination points and physiochemical changes in Bolla fish (Selar crumenophthalmus) during storage and transportation from Kudawella fish harbor to Badulla fish market. Randomly collected fish samples from three control points (before transportation, before unloading and after unloading) including ice samples of three replicates have been examined for the enumeration of total aerobic bacteria, Salmonella and Escherichia colt. Before transportation, the highest total aerobic bacterial count (18.03 ± 0.03 log CFU g-1) was observed in the fish gill samples and the lowest count was observed in fish muscle samples (17.93 ± 0.02 log CFU g-1). Total aerobic bacterial count was increased during first 6 hours after unloading, in Badulla market and after 12 hours bacterial count of fish gill and muscle samples were 18.56 ± 0.01 log CFU g' and 18.49 ± 0.01 log CFU grl respectively. Initial total aerobic bacterial count of skin swab samples was 18.07 + 0.01 log CFUg' and the count increased at the fish market during last 12 hours to 18.58 ± 0.01 log CFUg-1. All fish gill and skin swab samples collected from the market after 6 and 12 hour intervals were positive for both Escherichia colt and Salmonella and fish muscle samples were positive only for Escherichia colt. Ice samples collected at Kudawella fish harbor and Badulla fish market were positive for Escherichia colt. Control point examination and presence of Escherichia colt revealed that fish arrived to the fishery harbor as primary contamination. Also, storage conditions of ice had positive effects on microbiological quality. The temperature of Bolla fish was changed significantly with the storage time (p<0.05). Before transportation the initial temperature of fish was 6.37 ± 0.17°C and in first 6 hours the temperature was significantly reduced to 2.44 ± 0.36°C (p<0.05). After fish received to the Badulla fish market the temperature was significantly increased with the storage time period (p<0.05). After 18 hours the final temperature was 11.49 ± 0.31°C. The changes in temperature canbe happened due to the melting of ice in the ice boxes. The initial value of pH was 5.61 and it was increased progressively during the storage time. The TBA index remained low throughout the study, ranging between (0.038 and 0.073) mg MDA/ kg of fish. In conclusion, there is a requirement to initiate sufficient sanitary applications to minimize cross contaminations in fish before reaching to consumer in both fishery harbor and Badulla fish market. Keywords: Sanitary applications, Total aerobic bacteria, Salmonella, Escherichia colt