Chemical and bacteriological risks of shrimp and clams (Gandofly) from Suez Gulf
Shellfish including shrimp and clams are consumed allover the world for their nutritional value, however, handling in seafood markets may challenge their safety and quality. Shellfish products in the fish markets in Suez Governorate were evaluated throughchemical analysis of total volatile basic nitrogen value, thiobarbituric acid, histamine content, and some heavy metals residues. As well as, microbiological estimation of the total aerobic counts, Enterobacteriaceae counts, Escherichia coli counts, and Staphylococcus aureus counts, in addition of Salmonella detection. Results declared that more than half of the examined samples of shrimp and clams (gandofly) were fit for human consumption based on the permissible limits of the Egyptian standard. Otherwise, some gandofly samples contain high levels of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBA), and may cause scombroid food poisoning with elevated histamine level. The levels of cadmium, lead, and zinc in shellfish samples under study was different with the sequence: Zn>Pb>Cd. Bacteria including E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus were identified. The analysed samples in this study were judged as medium/good quality market samples as more than half of the examined samples were within the Egyptian standard and may indicate that trading of shellfish at Suez markets went under abuse storage temperature.