Studies on contamination and quality of fresh fish meats during storage

The aimed of this study showed the possibilityto evaluate the quality and find out the degree of contamination of local freshfish meats, this fish its common name in Yemen is (Gahsh), and its scientificname is (Lethrinus elongatus). The samples taken from Taiz citymarkets [Republic of Yemen], and stored at room temperature, themicrobiological, physical and chemical changes were followed by examination ofsamples during storage at zero time as (control samples) and every day. Theresults illustrate the microbial contamination increasing and the evaluation ofthe physical and chemical characteristics quality were decreased anddeteriorated during storage. As well as isolation seventeen species of bacteriaidentified and classification to six groups of Bacillus spp obtained from prior samples. On other hand the population ofAerobic, Anaerobic, Spore formers, Yeast and Moulds Enterobacteriaceae, Coliform groups, Salmonella spp, Staphylococcus spp, Streptococcus spp,Clostridium spp,Bacillus spp, Enterococcus spp and Proteolysis bacteria, were increased by thefollowing percentages: 68.56%, 43.2%, 26.75%, 28.82%, 49.59%, 16.66%, 15.00%, 30.53%, 24.24%,16.92%, 14.52%,14.49%, and 50.50% respectively. Thenutrition chemical characteristics i.e [Moisture, Protein and Fat content] weredecreased as following percentages: 0.81 %, 0.54% and 0.63 % respectively, andthe Carbohydrate content increasing as 43.97%. The chemical indicates forspoilage i.e [Total volatile nitrogen, Trimethyl amine, Ammonia nitrogen, Thiobarabituric acid, Total energy value andWater holding capacity] increasing as following percentages: 147.87%, 114.74%,82.55%, 62.57%, 1.43 % and 16.36% respectively. The pH value and Bound waterdecreased as 7.00% and 3.89% respectively, as comparedwith the control samples.