Foodborne Illnesses and Microbiological Safety of Fish and Fish Products: A Brief Overview in Regard to Mexico

The presence of microorganisms in fish and fish products is a relevant factor in spoilage and food safety. Fish is considered a nutritious staple of the human diet and is produced, processed, and marketed worldwide. To describe the role of microorganisms in regard to the safety of fish and fish products, we conducted this narrative review to present information on fish production; various pollution hazards; and the causes, control, and prevention of diseases caused by food consumption. It also explores documented cases of foodborne illnesses in Mexico associated with microorganisms. Furthermore, microbiological evaluations of products that are offered for consumption in different areas and cities of Mexico are reviewed, as is the regulatory framework that has been developed regarding the safety of produced and marketed products. This was achieved through the searching for, compilation of, and analysis of information in various databases (Redalyc, Scielo, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, among others). The knowledge obtained indicates that bacteria and parasites are frequently associated with illnesses caused by the consumption of raw products or products subjected to inadequate cooking and hygiene practices. Meanwhile, a microbiological evaluation of fish and marketed products reveals contamination that compromises food safety. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen microbiological surveillance of products and hygiene education throughout the food chain by government, industry, researchers, and end consumers to promote the availability of safe, nutritious foods for the population.