Alteromonas

Marine bacteria of the genus Alteromonas — Gram-negative, aerobic rods at home in coastal and ocean waters. They ride into the food chain on seawater contact with the catch, and species such as Alteromonas nigrifaciens spoil fish and meat with discoloration and off-odours that condemn the product. They are spoilage organisms rather than pathogens: the damage is commercial, not clinical, though in seafood commerce that distinction matters little to the bottom line. Control is straightforward hygiene — clean handling from boat to plant, rapid chilling, and sanitised surfaces that deny them a foothold.