Staphylococcus aureus: A common threat to fish and its products

Abstract

Fish is a highly nutritious food containing protein, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. The protein source of fish is easily available and better absorbed in the body as compared to other sources of animal protein such as chicken, beef, and mutton. The lipid content of fish includes Omega-3 fatty acids which is a good fat for the human body. In addition, fish is also a rich source of many vitamins such as vitamin A, B, and D. Fish contains important minerals including calcium, iron, iodine, phosphorus, and potassium, which are absent in other sources of food consumed by poor people.   Due to the high nutrition value of fish, it is used in a huge number for human consumption. However, it can undergo many types of bacterial contamination such as Thermotolerant coliforms,  E. coli, Mycobacterium,  Aeromonas,  Staphylococcus, Streptococcus,  Pseudomonas, Clostridium, and Edwardsiella. Bacterial contamination comes through many sources such as during transportation, processing, and handling. Many studies found Staphylococcus aureus contamination of fish which access to the fish during handling and processing. When Staphylococcus aureus gets suitable conditions for growth, it produces different enterotoxins causing food poisoning. So more study is to be carried out regarding fish contamination caused by Staphylococcus aureus and serious precautionary measures need to be taken to lower the incidence of fish contamination causing food poisoning.