2026 Vol-6 Issue-2 | EFFECTS OF SMOKE- AND OVEN-DRYING ON THE MICROBIAL QUALITY OF BLACK TIGER SHRIMP (Penaeus monodon) UNDER AMBIENT STORAGE

Fish loss during harvesting, transportation, processing and storage remains of great concern to the fisheries sector. Hence, there is a need for researchers to discover ways to reduce spoilage and microbial load in food products. The study was laid out as a 3 × 2 factorial design, with 3 sampling periods (0 weeks, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks) and 2 drying methods (Oven-drying and Smoke-drying), replicated three times in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Penaeus monodon of varying sizes were weighed, shelled and washed. The shrimps were then placed in 15% brine solution and allowed to cure for 30 minutes, and then smoked and oven-dried. Analysis of microbial load (both fungi and bacteria) was done biweekly for a period of four (4) weeks. The shrimps were analyzed using Potato Dextrose Agar and Nutrient Agar for fungi and bacteria, respectively. All data collected was analysed to ascertain the difference between treatments and separation of means was done using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The results revealed that there was a significant difference in the bacterial and fungal load of fresh and dried P. monodon. The bacterial and fungal load of fresh P. monodon were 201.66 x 103 CFU/g and 1.65 x 103 CFU/g respectively. The bacterial load of dried P. monodon ranged from 39.64 x 103 CFU/g (Smoke-dried at Wk 2) to 25.20 x 103 CFU/g (Immediately after Oven-drying), while the fungal load ranged from 0.65 x 103 CFU/g (Oven-dried at Wk 4) to 0.21 x 103 CFU/g (Immediately after Oven-drying). Seven bacterial genera which included: Bacillus sp., Staphylococcus sp., Proteus sp., Klebsiella sp., Micrococcus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Streptococcus sp. and., and five fungal genera which included: Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Fusarium sp. Saccharomyces sp., and Aspergillus sp were isolated. The overall microbial loads obtained were within acceptable limits for dried fish as recommended by the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods (ICMSF, 2011) which is 5.0 x 105.