Prevalence of salmonella and vibrio spp. in seafood products sold in Singapore

Abstract

Foodborne hazards in seafood have only recently received increased attention in Singapore since the illness outbreak in 2009 that was associated with consumption of Indian rojak (a traditional salad of fruits, vegetables, and seafood). The microbiological quality of seafood must be evaluated for assurance of food safety. The aim of this study was to evaluate the microbiological quality and to determine the prevalence of Salmonella and Vibrio spp. in seafood sold in Singapore. A total of 116 samples (41 prawn, 44 shellfish, and 31 fishball samples) were collected from major supermarkets and wet markets in Singapore. The mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacterial counts for prawn, shellfish, and fishballs were 2 to 7 log CFU/g. One Salmonella Lexington strain was isolated from a thawed-frozen shellfish product and two Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were isolated from commercial fishball and shrimp meat products. Thus, seafood sold in Singapore has the potential to be contaminated with Vibrio spp. and Salmonella, and proper handling at food service establishments is required to ensure food safety. Effective control measures also are needed to prevent cross-contamination during postharvest seafood processing. Copyright © International Association for Food Protection.