EFFICACY OF PINEAPPLE CROWN ON BACTERIAL SAFETY OF Clarias gariepinus AND Malapterurus electricus SMOKED FILLETS

Abstract

The study evaluated the efficacy of Ananas comosus crown as a natural preservative for improving the bacterial
safety of smoked Clarias gariepinus and Malapterurus electricus fillets. Fresh samples of both fish species were
obtained from Kalgwai Barrage Dam in Jigawa State, Nigeria, filleted, and subjected to seven treatments: control
(no preservative), 5%, 10%, and 15% each for salt solution and A. comosus crown solution. The treated fillets were
smoked and stored at ambient temperature for four months. Phytochemical analysis of the pineapple crown
revealed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and glycosides, with saponins occurring in the
highest concentration. The bacterial loads of raw fillets were 7.07 × 10⁴ cfu/g for C. gariepinus and 7.90 × 10⁴
cfu/g for M. electricus, with no significant difference between the species (P > 0.05). After the smoking, samples
treated with salt and A. comosus crown solution showed significantly lower bacterial loads than the control (P <
0.05). Higher concentrations of both treatments were more effective in reducing microbial counts. During the
four-month storage period, bacterial loads increased gradually in all treatments. The predominant bacterial
isolates identified were Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa,
Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp., with S. aureus being the most prevalent. The results
indicate that pineapple crown possess antimicrobial properties and can serve as an effective natural preservative
for improving the microbial quality of smoked fish fillets.