Assessment of Microbial Loads, Species Characterization and Composition in Prawn (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) Fillets from Major Wetlands in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

The objective of this paper is to assess the assessment of microbial loads, species characterization and composition in prawn (Macrobrachium vollenhovenii) fillets from major wetlands (Nwaniba, Ibaka, Ibeno and Itu) in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The microbial loads, species characterization and composition in prawn fillets were determined using standard microbiological procedures. Results from the study revealed total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranging from 2.10 x 104cfu/g in samples from Ibeno to 7.30 x 104cfu/g from Itu samples. Samples from Itu also recorded the highest values (3.5 x 104cfu/g) of total heterotrophic fungal counts. A total of eight bacterial (Staphilococcus aureus, S. albus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Micrococcus luteus, Arthrobacter freundii and Salmonella ecterica) and six fungal (Candida tropicalis, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. terreus, Mucor mucedo, and Rhizopus sp) species were isolated.  The bacterial species, Micrococcus luteus and Arthrobacter freundii had 100% frequency of occurrence while in the fungal group it was Candida tropicalis. The presence of these pathogenic organisms in prawn samples from these wetland areas may infer possible threat to the health of prawn consumers especially when the products are undercooked or poorly processed before consumption.