ABSTRACTWhole and processed Alaskan fish were examined for aerobic plate counts, total coliforms, andEscherichia coli.Washing whole salmon and halibut reduced skin microbial counts from 103/cm2to 102/cm2. Whole and dressed fish had coliform counts less than 13/cm2andE. colicounts less than 0.3/cm2. Alaska pollock and Pacific cod fillets had microbial counts between 103/g and 106/g, coliform counts less than 70/g, andE. colicounts less than 4/g. Whole fish contained microbial flora predominated byMoraxellaspecies whereas dressed fish and fillets had microbial flora consisting ofArthrobacter/Corynebacterium, Flavobacterium, andPseudomonasspecies. Microorganisms on conveyor belts and other contact surfaces may have contributed contaminants to fillets.
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