Bacteriological Evaluation of Flounder (Hippoglossoides platessoides) Frozen at Sea and Thawed by Water Immersion

Transfer of bacteria from frozen flounder (Hippoglossoides platessoides) to the water in which they are immersion-thawed was evaluated in a laboratory-scale test. After 6 hr of batch thawing, the water quality was still acceptable. Transfer of bacteria from the thawing water to fillets processed from these fish was minimal. No correlation was evident between the time the thawing water was in use and the bacterial count on the fillets. It was also determined that the frozen fish on removal from storage had low bacteria counts. In no instance were faecal coliforms observed.