BACTERIOLOGICAL EXAMINATION OF BARBECUE FISH

This study was carried out for Bacteriological examination of barbecue fish in Ozoro, Isoko-North, Delta State, Nigeria. Samples of barbecue fish were obtained from two (2) different locations in Ozoro. Five bacteria species were isolated from the barbecue fish; Clostridium species, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus species. It was observed that the isolated organism with highest percentage of occurrence was Clostridium species (30%) and the lowest occurrence was Enterococcus Species (10%). Also the results showed that the range of total heterotrophic plate count from bacterial isolates in sample (A) was from 4.4 x 10(3) to 7.6 x 10(3) cfu/ml, while for sample (B) ranges from 3.2 x 10(3) to 6.4 x 10(3) cfu/ml. The bacterial isolate from the barbecue fish were most likely to be as a result of cross contamination from improper handling, storage facilities and display, as well as their survival mechanisms during the preparation process. These bacterial are involved in a number of diseases of public health concerned.