Abstract

Heart disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States with diet being a major contributor. As solution, fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids is recommended. In this study, the impact of brackish water on fish quality, was done by sampling canal water in Edinburg, Texas. Canal water was membrane filtered and cultured on bacteriological media. Pure cultures were phenotypically identified, and isolates confirmed on a BD Phoenix analyzer. The BD Phoenix analyzer, confirmed the following isolates: Grimontia hollisae, Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Tatumella ptyseos, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Klebsiella pneumonia subsp. ozaenae, Staphylococcus pettenkoferi, Pasteurella pneumotropica, Achromobacter species, Pasteurella aerogenes, Moraxella species and Pseudomonas species.  Fish consumption is good for maintaining a healthy heart, but consumers risk exposure to foodborne pathogens that can cause watery diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, bacteremia, urinary tract infections and even dead.

Key words: Brackish, Microbiome, α-Linolenic acid, Linoleic acid, 2,5-diketo-D-gluconic acid, Tatumellaptyseos, Grimontia hollisae, Staphylococcus pettenkoferi, Esoteric, Nosocomial.