Évaluation de la qualité microbienne de l'eau de mer et des moules d'une ferme conchylicole algérienne

Abstract

Seafood, particularly bivalve mollusks, are eaten raw or undercooked, making them a potential risk of food poisoning. Moreover, these animals filter water and concentrate microorganisms and toxins. This study considers the microbial quality of seawater and mussels sampled from a shellfish farm on the Algerian coast. Samples were investigated by enumeration methods for the fecal indicators and the research of pathogens such as Staphylococcus and Salmonella. Strains of interest have been characterized and then identified with API 20E test galleries following the manufacturer’s instructions. The seawater’s microbiological results revealed that the levels of fecal coliforms were lower than the allowed limit (<500 CFU/100 ml) in all the stations during the study period. However, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. were positive in all stations. Regarding mussel samples, the results showed that they were highly contaminated by fecal coliforms (>300 CFU/100 g). Similarly to seawater’s results, we detected the presence of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp. Isolate’s identification by API 20E test galleries revealed the presence of the same species Salmonella enterica ssp Arizona in seawater and mussels’ samples. When considering the indicators and bacterial pathogens investigated, the mussels examined were of bad microbiological quality, which can threaten consumer health.