Stuffed mussel is a traditional food, sold by street vendors in coastal parts of Turkey and other Mediterranean countries. In the present study, the microbiological quality of not only the stuffing mixture, but also the outer surface of the stuffed mussels was evaluated for 1 year, and the effect of the ambient temperatures on the prevalence and the count levels of the microorganisms were evaluated. Fifty samples (750 stuffed mussels in total) were collected periodically, and microbiological analyses were performed by standard procedures for aerobic plate count, coliforms, fecal coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Vibrio spp. Aerobic plate counts above 5 log CFU/g were obtained in 16 and 72% of stuffing mixture samples at high and low ambient temperatures, respectively, and average aerobic plate counts of outer surface samples at high and low ambient temperatures were 3.21 and 4.34 log CFU/ml, respectively. The prevalence and the count levels of coliforms, fecal coliforms, Enterobacteriaceae, and Vibrio spp. (except for the prevalence of Vibrio spp. in stuffing mixture samples) in the samples at high ambient temperatures were considerably higher compared with those at low ambient temperatures (P < 0.05). High frequencies of pathogens S. aureus and B. cereus were found in stuffing mixture samples at high ambient temperatures, with averages of 2.84 and 2.94 log CFU/g, respectively (P < 0.05). The result of this investigation indicates that stuffed mussels as a street food may constitute a potential health hazard, especially at high ambient temperatures, depending on contamination level and lack of sanitary practices, and therefore, handling practices should require more attention and improvement.

In recent years, microbial fish safety is getting a close attention from regulatory agencies and consumers. Therefore, fish farm raising rainbow trout and affiliated slaughterhouse and smoking plants were evaluated for the occurrence of Listeria monocytogenes. Samples including raw fish, swabbings of equipment or other surfaces, as well as processing water, salt, fish feed and fish samples taken after various stages of processing were collected from thirty different locations in the plant. For the detection of L. monocytogenes, both conventional and Listeria Rapid Test (LRT) were used. L. monocytogenes was detected in thirty out of sixty samples (50%) by LRT, while it was detected in thirty-four out of sixty samples (57%) by conventional method. No L. monocytogenes was detected from raw fish, smoked fish (before handling) and processing water, but it was detected in all environmental samples including swabbings of equipment or other surfaces and smoked fish samples after filleting.