title: Raw ready-to-eat seafood safety: microbiological quality of the various seafood species available in fishery, hyper and online markets.
abstract: Microbiological quality of 206 raw ready-to-eat seafood samples was investigated according to species (gizzard shad, halibut, rockfish, tuna, oyster and squid) and distribution channels (fishery, hyper and online market). Enumeration of aerobic plate count and total coliforms (TC) and pathogenic bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus) was performed, and level of microbiological quality was classified into four groups: satisfactory, acceptable, unsatisfactory and unacceptable. Qualitative analysis was also performed for Escherichia coli and eight foodborne pathogens (B. cereus, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., S. aureus, Vibrio cholerae, V. parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus). Raw ready-to-eat seafood products revealed 0·5% at an unsatisfactory level and 4·9% at an unacceptable level due to ≥4 log CFU g-1of TC in squid and ≥3 log CFU g-1of V. parahaemolyticus in gizzard shad respectively. Gizzard shad was shown to be potentially hazardous, as its sashimi is eaten with its skin attached. Bacillus cereus, E. coli, S. aureus, V. parahaemolyticus and V. vulnificus were qualitatively detected. Samples from the fishery market showed higher detection rate especially in V. parahaemolyticus (21·6%) and V. vulnificus (1·7%) which indicates the need to improve microbiological safety of raw ready-to-eat seafood products in fishery market.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raw ready-to-eat seafood products like sashimi can be easily contaminated with various bacteria from aquatic environments and human reservoirs, which subsequently bring about a risk in food poisoning due to no heating process before consumption. The results of this study provide comprehensive microbiological data on various species of raw ready-to-eat seafood from various distribution channels. It may contribute to establish reasonable standard and effective strategies to ensure a good microbiological quality of raw ready-to-eat seafood for the safety of meals, like sashimi and sushi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Food Microbiology Division, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, North Chungcheong Province, Korea.
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Food Microbiology Division, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, North Chungcheong Province, Korea.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Food Microbiology Division, National Institute of Food and Drug Safety Evaluation, North Chungcheong Province, Korea.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Rhee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001409:Bacillus cereus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D019453:Escherichia coli O157 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005396:Fish Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D005398:Fisheries; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D059022:Food Safety; D005517:Foodborne Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010125:Ostreidae / Q000382:microbiology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D012758:Shellfish / Q000382:microbiology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014736:Vibrio parahaemolyticus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D041261:Vibrio vulnificus / Q000302:isolation & purification
keywords: foodborne pathogens; market survey; microbiological quality; ready-to-eat; seafood