Bacterial Load of Raw Hilsha (<i>Tenualosa ilisha</i>) Collected from Catching

Abstract

In this study, bacterial load of Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha) collected from different catching points, open market and department shop was determined. Samples collected from catching points contained considerably more bacteria than those collected from open market or department shop. This result indicated that fish traders might use some preservatives that reduced the bacterial load. Besides, fish from department shop contained more bacteria than fishes from open market. The possible reason for this variation might be due to fact that the unsold fishes were kept longer times in the department shops. Among the different parts of fish body, maximum number of bacteria was found in scale and skin followed by gill, gut and muscle. High number of coliform bacteria was also found in the samples tested. Proper handling and precautions is important for maintaining the quality of Hilsha.

Keywords: Bacterial load, Hilsha (Tenualosa ilisha), Coliform, Faecal coliform

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjm.v24i2.1265