BACTERIAL FLORA OF FRESH A·ND ICED INDIAN MACKEREL (RASTRELLIGER KANAGURTAJ AND ITS RESPONSE TO CHLORTETRACYCLINE (CTC) TREATMENT

Abstract

Quantitative and qualitative studies on the bacterial flora
of fresh Indian mackerel ( Rastrelliger kanagurta) have been
made. The total native flora as well as 5 ppm. CTC insensitive
flora of the fish showed variations with season. About
90 % of the fresh fish flora was sensitive to 5 ppm. CTC.
The natural flora of the fresh fish consisted of Vibrios,
Pseudomonas, Achromobacter, Flavobacterium, Corynebacteria,
Micrococci, Bacillus and yeasts. In the CTC insensitive flora,
Vibrios predominated followed by yeasts. The selection of
bacterial genera during storage of the fish in ice and in
5 ppm. CTC incorporated ice has also been investigated. At
the time of spoilage, Pseudomonas were found to be the dominant
flora of the fish stored in both types of ice.