et al., S. (2025). Evaluating the Hygienic Quality of Fish Meat and Environmental Contamination with Escherichia coli. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29(4), 149-162. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.437645
Sharef et al.. "Evaluating the Hygienic Quality of Fish Meat and Environmental Contamination with Escherichia coli". Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29, 4, 2025, 149-162. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.437645
et al., S. (2025). 'Evaluating the Hygienic Quality of Fish Meat and Environmental Contamination with Escherichia coli', Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 29(4), pp. 149-162. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.437645
et al., S. Evaluating the Hygienic Quality of Fish Meat and Environmental Contamination with Escherichia coli. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology and Fisheries, 2025; 29(4): 149-162. doi: 10.21608/ejabf.2025.437645
Evaluating the Hygienic Quality of Fish Meat and Environmental Contamination with Escherichia coli
Microbiological contamination is the most serious public health concern linked with fish-derived food products. Between October 2024 and March 2025, this study looked into the hygiene of fish meat and environmental contamination with Escherichia coli in aquaculture systems in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq. A total of 230 samples, including fish tissues, ambient components, and equipment surfaces, were gathered from seven aquaculture facilities. Standard culture techniques were used to isolate E. coli, which was then confirmed using the VITEK® 2 compact system, yielding a 99% identification probability. ESBL-producing bacteria were found by the double disk synergy test. The data were statistically examined using ANOVA and Chi-square tests to determine contamination patterns and their relevance. The body cavities of fish from the Sulaymaniyah center had the highest bacterial load, with counts reaching 87,750×103 CFU/ cm² Overall, 40 of the 230 samples (17.39%) tested positive for E. coli, with fish meat (20%) and gills (18.57%) showing the greatest isolation rates. No E. coli contamination was found in pond or source water samples, indicating that post-harvest handling was the primary source of contamination. Notably, 57.5% of the identified E. coli strains produced ESBL, which poses a serious public health danger. The findings emphasize the importance of improving hygienic procedures in fish handling and processing in order to reduce microbiological risks in Sulaymaniyah Province aquaculture products.
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