Salmonella prevalence in seafood imported into Japan

Area of Science:

• Food safety
• Microbiology
• Public health

Background:

• Seafood is a significant source of foodborne illnesses globally.
• Pathogen contamination in seafood poses a risk to consumer health.
• Monitoring microbial populations in seafood is essential for quality control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence of Salmonella in various seafood types.
• To determine the microbial load in contaminated seafood samples.
• To assess the potential contribution of shrimp and prawns to foodborne infections.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 353 seafood samples from 29 types.
• Isolation and identification of Salmonella enterica serotype Weltevreden.
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assay for Salmonella invA gene detection.
• Quantification of total aerobic bacterial counts.

Main Results:

• Salmonella Weltevreden isolated from 2 of 47 black tiger prawn samples.
• Salmonella contamination levels ranged from <30 to 40 most probable number/100 g.
• PCR detected the Salmonella invA gene in one black tiger prawn and two white shrimp samples.
• Aerobic bacterial counts in contaminated prawn samples were 7.48 and 5.18 log CFU/g.

Conclusions:

• Shrimp and prawns may act as vehicles for foodborne Salmonella infections.
• Enhanced seafood quality control and pathogen monitoring are necessary.
• Feedback on contamination to originating countries can improve global seafood safety.