Contamination of Bacteria in Chilled Fresh Tabtim Fish (hybrid tilapia Oreochromis sp.) Processing to Assess the Critical Point of Processing

Abstract

A quantitative analysis of the loads of total aerobic bacteria, Escherichia coli, Coliform and Staphylococcus aureus in operational units of chilled fresh Tabtim fish (hybrid tilapia Oreochromis sp.) production was collected from six steps of processing which were tested by 3M^TM Petrifilm. The results of the total aerobic bacteria and E.coli indicated that the highest contamination step was the process that packed Tabtim fish in polyethylene bags after chilled fish at 4 °C for 7 days and that Tabtim fish was knocked which showed the level of contamination 4.4 × 10⁴, <10 CFU/cm² respectively. Therefore, total aerobic bacteria and E. coli results were not over the standard value in TACFS 7001-2004. Any way, the Coliform and Staphylococcus aureus indicated that the highest contamination step was the process which fish was wiped with sponge before being packed showed the level of contamination 6.6 × 10³ and 3.4 × 10² CFU/cm², respectively. No report has known before about the Coliform and Staphylococcus aureus in Tabtim fish. The results would be used to asses the critical point of chilled fresh Tabtim fish which was contaminated with these pathogenic bacteria.