Sanitary quality of sashimis sold in Cuiabá, Brazil

Resumo

Fish consumption in Brazil has been steadily increasing, including raw dishes like sashimi. This study aimed to evaluate the freshness and microbiological quality of commercially available salmon sashimi in Asian cuisine establishments located in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Samples from 14 establishments were evaluated by analysis of temperature, pH, total volatile nitrogen bases (TVB-N), Staphylococcus spp., total thermotolerant coliforms, Salmonella spp, aerobic psychrotrophic and mesophilic bacteria. We found that 100% of the samples were sold at temperatures between 8.2 ºC and 23.3 ºC, exceeding the limit of 5º C established by the Brazilian legislation. For pH, none of the samples disagreed with the legislation (7.0), and only 7.14% of them were above the limit for TVB-N (30 mg N/100 g). Counts were observed for all analyzed microorganisms, except Salmonella spp. The observed values were within the accepted range for consumption as determined in the literature and by the legislation, except for thermotolerant coliforms, for which three samples (21.43%) had values exceeding 10² MPN/g. Although the presence of potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus spp. and thermotolerant coliforms, was detected, none of the values exceeded the limits set by the legislation. However, these results indicate that the sashimi was presented in unsatisfactory hygienic conditions, which could pose risks to the health of the consumer. We have concluded that there is need for greater inspection and compliance with the existing laws of Good Manufacturing Practices for food-related services, especially where raw fish is sold, and also investments in the training and supervision of handlers.