Seafood-borne Bacterial Pathogens

Abstract

The increasing demand for fish and fishery products and the development in international fish trade have raised major concern about the quality and safety of the products internationally traded. The safety of seafood products varies considerably and is influenced by a number of factors such as origin of fish, microbiological ecology of the product, handling and processing practices and preparations before consumption. Worldwide, food poisoning outbreaks have Increased continuously. Expansion of international trade, consumer demand for "lightly processed" foods, mass production of foods, and changes in eating habits have all contributed to these food poisoning outbreaks. Seafood may be a vehicle for many bacterial pathogens. These seafood diseases caused by bacterial pathogens or their toxins, are associated with improper food preparation, handling and storage. This paper reviews the present scenario on occurrence of seafood borne pathogens in India and discusses in the light of international data.