Micro biological study and Proximate composition of five marine fish species consumed in Gabon

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to determine proximate composition (protein, lipid, ash and moisture), 
energy and microbiological spoilage in five fish species. The chemical analysis revealed that the protein 
content of Pseudotolithus typus was 19.19%, Pomadasys peroteti 16.05%, Galeoides decadactylus 
17.15%, Carassius auratus 20.78% and Pimelodus grosskopfii 18.57% of the fresh weight, respectively. 
The lipid content, the ash, and carbohydrate ranged from 0.46 to 1.76, 1.01 to 1.40 and 0.20 to 0.49% of 
the fresh weight correspondingly. Microbiological analysis showed that the Total Viable Count (TVC) 
varied between 5.20 and 8.42 LogUFC/g. The results obtained on TVC were not within the acceptable 
limits set by the International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods. Staphylococcus 
sp. bacteria were observed in all five species and fecal coliforms in Carassius auratus and Pimelodus 
grosskopfii only. The bacteria isolated on each of the five fish species included 
Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus xylosus, Enterobacter agglomerans and one unidentified 
species. However, fungi were not found in these five samples.