IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON THE MICROBIAL LOAD OF MUD CRAB, SCYLLA SERRATA: A STUDY FROM SOUTH 24 PARGANAS DISTRICT OF WEST BENGAL, INDIA

This study was conducted to evaluate the microbial load in flesh and gills of mud crab (Scylla serrata) collected from Nagendra Bazar area Diamond Harbour South 24 Parganas district West Bengal, India. The period collection coincided with Pre-COVID-19 phase (June 2018 June 2019) COVID lockdown 2020 2021). It is observed that total coliform loads both muscle are more pre-COVID compared phase. ANOVA analysis also confirmed significant variations between years body parts (muscle gills) for Total (TC) Fecal Coliform (FC) (p < 0.01). present considerable importance as crabs consumed by local people well exported several foreign countries like China, Singapore, Japan, U.S.A.