Bacteriological studies on canned fish

summary:- One hundred samples of locally manufactured canned fish(Mackerel) under different market names were collected fromsupermarkets in Zagazig City, the samples were transferred directly tothe laboratory, and were subjected to physical and bacteriologicalexaminations.A) Physical examination : physical examination include outsideand inside examination of the cans and its contents . Flipper ,rust andswell were the observed defects in the examined samples of canned fish.Organoleptic characteristics of the contents were shown in tables.B) Bacteriological examination: bacteriological examination•revealed that the total anaerobic count in 20% of the examined samplesranged from 102 to 4.8 x 103 with a mean value of 1.86 x 102 +6.6 x10 per gm . While the mesophilic aerobic spore-forming count rangedfrom 102 to 6 x 103 with a mean value of 1.41 x 102 +6.8 x 10 per gmin 20 % of the examined samples.The isolated Clostridial species included Clostridium tertium, Cl.sporogenes, Cl. bifermentans , Cl. histolyticum, Cl. cochlearium and Cl.carnis with different percentages . Public health importance of theisolated microorganisms and the suggested measures to impove thequality of locally manufactured canned fish were discussed.