Assessment of Physicochemical Characteristics and Microbiological Quality of Fried Shrimps Sold in Rural Municipality of Loumbila

Shrimp is a crustacean found in marine and freshwater environments and is widely distributed throughout the world due to its nutritional and socioeconomic values. However, its chemical composition, rich in proteins and lipids, and its water content, make it an easily perishable food commodity and particularly susceptible to microbiological and physicochemical alterations. As part of the study, ten samples of fried shrimps were collected from different sales sites in Loumbila. Physicochemical characteristics and microbiological quality were assessed using standard analytical methods. TMAF loadings ranged from 0.29±0.12x106 CFU/g to 1.83±1.29x106 CFU/g. Dry matter and water content ranged from 87.23±1.25 % to 95.92±0.67 % and 4.08±0.67 % to 12.77±1.25 %, respectively. Also, acidity and pH ranged from 0.04 % to 0.12±0.01 % and 8.48±0.06 and 8.99±0.11, respectively. As for the loads of thermotolerant coliforms, Escherichia coli and Salmonella and Shigella, they were all less than 10 CFU/g with a total absence of Salmonella and Shigella in all the samples analyzed. For total coliforms, the loads were also less than 10 CFU/g except four samples EC3, EC4, EC6 and EC8, which varied from 1.12±0.21x103 to 1.97±0.82x103 CFU/g. The loads of yeasts and molds were also less than 10 CFU/g except samples EC3 and EC8, whose loads were respectively 1.5±0.70x103 CFU/g and 3.5±2.1x103 CFU/g. Most of shrimp’s samples analyzed were of unsatisfactory microbiological quality, EC1, EC2, EC7, and EC9 were of acceptable microbiological quality. Therefore, these fried shrimps could pose a more or less significant hazard to individuals who consumed them.