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Abstract:
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A detailed study was made on the microbial quality, with special reference to food
safety, of the fish and fishery products in the retail trade in Cochin and around. Also,
farmed molluscan shellfishes like mussels and oysters were investigated for the microbial
quality including the presence of pathogenic bacteria. Special stress has been given to
monitor the incidence of coagulase positive as well as coagulase negative Staphylococcus
in these products and their relative incidence have been recorded.In the next part, the investigation was centered mainly on toxigenic S.aureus. This
is because among the Gram positive toxigenic bacteria, the Saureus with potential to
produce thermostable enterotoxins are more relavent in food safety conceming seafoods
in comparison with the Gram-negative pathogens like Salmonella and V.cholerae.The incidence, toxigenic potential and conditions of toxin production by S.aureus
have been investigated in detail. An attempt has also been made to relate the toxigenisis
with the presence of the concerned toxigenic genes in the genomes of S. aureus strains. |