Bacterial microflora associated with a commercial fish smoker

An examination of samples obtained from a commercial fish smoker, using seawater agar with incubation at 4°, 15° and 37° C for up to 28 days, revealed the presence of large bacterial populations in smoked fish. However, initially only low bacterial numbers, i.e., 2 x 10³/g, were present in the muscle of fresh, whole haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus). With filleting, there was a sudden increase in numbers to 9.2 x 10⁵/g. Yet immediately after smoking, the bacterial populations decreased (5 x 10⁵/g), followed by a gradual increase with storage (e.g., 2 x 10⁶/g after 24 h). Representative colonies were presumptively identified as Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, coryneforms, Pseudomonas and Vibrio spp.