Bacterial microflora associated with farmed freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) and the aquaculture environment
Bacterial microflora associated with farmed freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) and the aquaculture environment
Date
2004
Authors
Lalitha, K.V.
Surendran, P.K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Abstract
The initial counts of bacteria associated with farmed giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii de Man) as well as with the water and sediment from
two farms located at Kottayam district in Kerala(India) were determined. A total of 367 randomly selected isolates were characterized and identi¢ed. Prawn samples yielded mean microbiological counts
of 4.92 log CFUg 1 of shell with muscle and
7.78 log CFUg 1of intestine at 30 1C. Bacterial numbers in the intestine of prawnweremuch higher than those in the pond water. Motile and non-motile aerobic
Gram-negative bacteria together with Enterobacteriaceae accounted for 60^70% of themesophiles isolated from water and prawn. However, the microorganisms isolated in signi¢cant numbers from shell with muscle and intestine of prawn were not recovered
fromthe growing waters. Among Gram-positive
bacteria, Micrococcus, Bacillus,coryneforms, and Arthrobacter were found. Faecal oliforms and enterococci were found in signi¢cant numbers in M.rosenbergii. The rearing practices such as feeding
and pond fertilization could have in£uenced the micro£ora in prawn. The commensal micro£ora of freshwater prawn included opportunistic pathogens such as Aeromonas spp. and Streptococcus spp. Storage of prawn at elevated temperatures can permit
their survival and growth leading to quality loss.Care should be exercised during handling and processing to prevent contamination of edible meat.
Description
Keywords
bacterial microflora, macrobrachium rosenbergii, freshwater prawn
Citation
Aquaculture Research 2004: 35, 629-635