title: [Evaluation of the presence of hygienic and sanitary indicator microorganisms in food served in public schools in Porto Alegre, Brazil].
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of hygienic and sanitary indicator microorganisms in samples of food served in public schools in Porto Alegre. All the food served in the meal of the session visited was analyzed for Escherichia coli, coagulase-positive Staphylococcus, Salmonella sp. and Shigella sp. Of the total of 196 food products analyzed in 120 schools, 4 contained and Escherichia coli score above the permitted level, and 2 contained coagulase-positive Staphylococcus. Neither Shigella nor Salmonella genus were detected. In the majority of schools studied, it was found that food was of an adequate hygienic-sanitary standard. However, only municipal schools had the supervision of a technician responsible for school food. In the state schools, 60% had never been visited by a nutritionist and in these schools several procedures failed to comply with legal requirements. In most of the schools studied, the food served to students was within adequate standards, though the problems detected revealed the need for the implementation of Best Practices in the school environment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Social, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, 900035-003. ana.beatriz@ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Ana Beatriz Almeida
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Capalonga
authors.forename: Joice Trindade
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Silveira
authors.forename: Eduardo Cesar
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Tondo
authors.forename: Marisa Ribeiro de Itapema
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Cardoso
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005511:Food Handling / Q000592:standards*; D005516:Food Microbiology / Q000592:standards*; D059022:Food Safety; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D017150:Public Sector; D012574:Schools