@article{Ozoh, C.N_Orji, M.U_2022, title={Comparative study of Bacteriological Contents of Commercially Smoked Fish and Aseptically Smoked Fish sold in Awka and Environs, Anambra State Nigeria}, volume={3}, url={https://ijagri.org/index.php/ijagri/article/view/83}, DOI={10.47504/IJAGRI.2022.3.2.1}, abstractNote={<p><em>The study was carried out to determine the bacteriological contents of smoked fish sold in Awka markets and environs. A total number of 80 samples of smoked and frozen fish were purchased from three different markets in Awka and its environs. 60 smoked fish and 20 frozen fish of four different species of panla, sardine, mackerel and catfish 15each and 5 each respectively. The samples were collected labeled appropriately and kept in sterile polyethylene bags and were taken to the microbiology laboratory of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu for microbial analysis, biochemical and molecular characterization were used for identification of bacteria and fungi isolates. The frozen fishes were taken to the fishery department of Anambra State Polytechnic, Mgbakwu for smoking, the fishes were aseptically smoked using the traditional kiln and oven drying methods.  Nutrient agar, Sabouraud dextrose agar, Salmonella shigella agar, Eosin methylene blue agar and Mannitol egg yolk polymyxin (MYP) agar were used for the isolation of organisms. The isolated organisms are Bacillus spp, Staphylococcus Saprophiticus, Enterobacter spp., Staphylococcus aureus, Eschericia coli, Klebsiella Aerogenes. Delftia Tsuruhatensis, Proteus mirabilis, Comamonas Thiooxydans, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Crocinitomicaceae bacterium, Klebsiella pneumonia, Micrococcus spp. the fungi isolated are Aspergillus fumigate, Aspergillus oryzae, Fusarium spp. Mucor, Rhizopus sp. Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Penicillum spp. the total viable counts (TVC in CFU/g) of smoked mackerel, sardine,  panla and catfish  ranges from 1.7x10<sup>2</sup> to 40.3x10<sup>2 </sup>, 0.6x10<sup>2</sup>-66x10<sup>2</sup>, 11x10<sup>2</sup>-98x10<sup>2</sup>, 2.5x10<sup>2 </sup>-54x10<sup>2</sup> respectively. TVC (CFU/g) of fungi isolates from catfish ranges from 10x10<sup>2</sup> to 33x10<sup>2 </sup> TVC (CFU/g). In aseptically smoked fish no organism was isolated from fish samples except in smoked and oven-dried panla fish. Their TVC ranges from 0.2x10<sup>2</sup>-0.8x10<sup>2</sup>. The findings indicate that smoked fish sold in Awka markets and environs are all contaminated, proper awareness should be done to educate the fish vendors on proper and hygienic methods of processing and selling their products.</em></p>}, number={2}, journal={International Journal of Agriculture, Biology & Environment (e-ISSN 2582-6107) DOI: 10.47504/IJAGRI }, author={Ozoh, C.N and Orji, M.U}, year={2022}, month={Apr.}, pages={1–8} }