Bacterial contamination of hands increases risk of cross-contamination among low-income Puerto Rican meal preparers.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of microbial contamination of the meal preparer's hands with microbial status of food and kitchen/utensil surfaces during home preparation of a "Chicken and Salad" meal.


METHODS
Observational home food safety assessment. Before starting meal preparation, participants' hands were tested to estimate total bacterial and coliform counts and the presence of Campylobacter, Salmonella, Listeria, and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Microbiological testing was conducted on samples from kitchen/utensil surfaces, and on food ingredients obtained before and during meal preparation.


METHODS
Sixty Puerto Rican women residing in inner-city Hartford, CT.


METHODS
Total bacterial and coliform counts, and presence of S. aureus in target samples.


METHODS
Bivariate tests and multiple logistic regression.


RESULTS
Participants considering food safety as "very important" were less likely to test positive for S. aureus on hands (P < .05). S. aureus on post-handling chicken, counter/cutting board, and salad was positively associated with S. aureus on participants' hands (P < .05). Coliform count on the counter/cutting board and sink was significantly higher at baseline when participants' hands tested positive for coliform before starting meal preparation.


CONCLUSIONS
Meal preparer's hands can be a vehicle of pathogen transmission during meal preparation.
Dharod
Jigna Morarji
JM
Department of Nutritional Sciences and Connecticut Center of Excellence for Eliminating Health Disparities among Latinos, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA. rafael.perez-escamilla@uconn.edu
Paciello
Stefania
S
Bermúdez-Millán
Angela
A
Venkitanarayanan
Kumar
K
Damio
Grace
G
Pérez-Escamilla
Rafael
R
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002167:Campylobacter / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002645:Chickens; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003237:Connecticut; D004866:Equipment Contamination / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006225:Hand / Q000382:microbiology*; D006235:Hand Disinfection; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008087:Listeria / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011202:Poultry Products / Q000382:microbiology*; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012475:Salmonella / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification*