Safety of canned tuna meat after opening and storage at different temperatures

Canned tuna is widely consumed worldwide due to its palatability, nutritional value, and convenience. However, it may pose a health risk to consumers if not properly processed or improperly handled and/or stored by consumers. This study evaluated the microbial safety and histamine content of canned tuna meat and the effect of the storage at different temperatures (4, 28, and 31 °C) for 7 days after opening on the microbial safety and histamine content. Data were analyzed by the SAS program. The aerobic bacteria counts in tuna samples after 48 hours of storage at 4 °C, 28 °C, and 31 °C were 3.2, 2.75, and 5.09 log CFU/g, respectively, with no significant difference observed between 4 °C and 28 °C (p > 0.01). Similarly, the anaerobic bacteria counts were 3.3, 2.98, and 5.08 log CFU/g at 4 °C, 28 °C, and 31 °C, respectively, also showing no significant difference between 4 °C and 28 °C (p > 0.01). Storage of canned meat at 4 °C showed more significant (p < 0.01) microbial inhibition than storage at 28 °C, and 31 °C. No pathogenic bacteria were observed in all samples during storage at different temperatures. For the histamine test, the highest recorded concentrations were 3.53, 9.58, and 28.24 mg/kg in tuna samples stored at 4 °C, 28 °C, and 31 °C, respectively. The storage temperature influenced (p < 0.01) histamine formation in tuna meat during storage. Recording histamine concentrations at zero time indicates that histamine was formed before opening the can, which may be due to failure to apply good hygiene practices in handling fish, as histamine does not degrade once formed. However, it did not exceed the maximum permissible limit. Also, the results of the microbial count and histamine content indicate that holding canned tuna meat after opening at 4 °C contributes to maintaining the safety of the tuna during storage.

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