Occurrence and Distribution of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Fish and Fishery Environments

Seema Nair P.; Surendran P.K.; Gopakumar K.

doi:10.56093/ft.v34i1.23509

Authors

Seema Nair P. Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin
Surendran P.K. Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin
Gopakumar K. Central Institute of Fisheries Technology, Cochin

https://doi.org/10.56093/ft.v34i1.23509

Keywords:

Lactic acid bacteria. Antibacterial property. Fresh and Frozen fish, TPC, coliforms

Abstract

Occurrence and distribution of Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in fresh and frozen fishes of internal trade, fresh marine fishes as well as brackish and aquaculture farm fishes were studied vis-a-vis total bacterial counts and total coliforms. Selected LAB strains wee studied for assessing biochemical and growth characteristics. It was found that the LAB counts were always 1-2 log cycles less than the total plate counts in the case of fishes from internal trade. While the LAB were present in fresh and brackish water fishes, these were not detected in Ocean fresh fish. About 90% of the LAB strains isolated were characterised as Lactobacillus of which 41% were streptobacteria and 14% thermobacteria. Nearly 80% of the LAB cultures tested for antibacterial properties against E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus, none could inhibit the growth of E. coli and S. aureus. But 13 out of 15 cultures inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus.