| dc.description.abstract | Food safety means ensuring consumer safety and protecting products from biological, physical and chemical hazards throughout the whole process, starting from the field to processing, storing, distributing, preparing and cooking. Regulation of food safety incorporates principles of quality management and systemic performance of the different regulations that aid maintenance and characterization of the different acceptable levels of food contaminants, especially microorganisms and other toxins. The quality of fish rapidly deteriorates when harvested from water, due to the presence of microorganisms, both within the body of fish and the environment, and therefore there is need to maintain proper quality assurance mechanisms so as to maintain fish quality within the acceptable limits. This study assessed the microbial and sensory quality of Nile perch along the supply chain using two landing sites, two fish markets and one export factory within Kampala district, Uganda. Fish samples were collected and transported in aseptic iced cooler boxes to the Microbiology laboratory, Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University for analysis of physical or morphological characteristics. Later microbial analyses were conducted at the Microbiology lab at the Department of Biotechnology, Microbiology and Plant Sciences, Makerere University. Quality scores were awarded to the different samples and the overall quality index was calculated and subjected to Kruskal Wallis test. The quality index of the samples significantly differed at p = 0.05 with X1=22.36 > X0= 5.6, df= 2. 20 grams of each sample was used to obtain a homogenate that was serially diluted to the tenth dilution. The fourth dilution was chosen for culture using the pour plate method on MacConkey agar for 24 hours. After culture, total plate counts and Escherichia coli colonies were identified and counted using standard microbial procedures. The findings showed a significant difference (p<0.05) in the total coliform and fecal coliform count among the samples. All samples from the export factory did not exceed the 2*105 CFU/g total coliform standard limits according to the European Commission regulation No 2073/2005. Meanwhile, 70% of the samples from the landing sites exceeded the standard total plate count limit. 80% of the samples from the landing sites and local markets exceeded the standard limit of Escherichia coli. 40% of the samples from the local markets exceeded the total plate count limits. 40% of the samples from the factory exceeded the 1*103CFU/g standard limit as stated the Uganda National Bureau of stands and European Commission regulation No 2073/2005. | en_US |
