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Contamination levels that compromise the hygienic condition in the handling of food

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Detalhes bibliográficos
Resumo:Microbiological contamination of food is a major public health problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. Most of the contamination is associated with bad practices in the handling and processing of food, due to poor hygiene of food worker´s hands or utensils and surfaces used in this manipulation. This study evaluates the hygienic condition of food handling in the district of Bragança, determining microbial contamination of utensils and worker´s hands, during the period 2009-2011. With respect to the worker´s hands, 39 % of cases showed contamination. In 57 % of these samples total coliforms were identified, in 26% of them fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus in 10% and finally 7% with Escherichia coli. The utensils contamination was confirmed in 30% of samples with results "not satisfactory" and 4 % had results "bad". These contaminations stand out 60 % of the samples with the presence of total germs, 28 % with total coliforms, fecal coliforms with 9 % and even 3 % with Escherichia coli. It was also found that only 37 % of the samples developed positively. It was concluded that there is a better cleaning of utensils manipulation than the worker´s hands, however the trend to improve the hygienic condition is most pronounced in the hands of these workers. The implementation of a program of rules for good hygiene practices will reduce these contaminants to lower levels.
Autores principais:Sousa, Isabel Maria dos Santos
Outros Autores:Gonçalves, Marília; Portelinha, Rita; Ferreira, Tânia; Afonso, Andrea Luísa Fernandes; Nogueira, António José M.; Pires, Bruno
Assunto:Food handling Food contaminationl Prevention microbiological
Ano:2014
País:Portugal
Tipo de documento:póster em conferência
Tipo de acesso:acesso aberto
Instituição associada:Instituto Politécnico de Bragança
Idioma:inglês
Origem:Biblioteca Digital do IPB
Descrição
Resumo:Microbiological contamination of food is a major public health problem, affecting millions of people worldwide. Most of the contamination is associated with bad practices in the handling and processing of food, due to poor hygiene of food worker´s hands or utensils and surfaces used in this manipulation. This study evaluates the hygienic condition of food handling in the district of Bragança, determining microbial contamination of utensils and worker´s hands, during the period 2009-2011. With respect to the worker´s hands, 39 % of cases showed contamination. In 57 % of these samples total coliforms were identified, in 26% of them fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus in 10% and finally 7% with Escherichia coli. The utensils contamination was confirmed in 30% of samples with results "not satisfactory" and 4 % had results "bad". These contaminations stand out 60 % of the samples with the presence of total germs, 28 % with total coliforms, fecal coliforms with 9 % and even 3 % with Escherichia coli. It was also found that only 37 % of the samples developed positively. It was concluded that there is a better cleaning of utensils manipulation than the worker´s hands, however the trend to improve the hygienic condition is most pronounced in the hands of these workers. The implementation of a program of rules for good hygiene practices will reduce these contaminants to lower levels.