Bacteriological quality and food safety in a Brazilian school food program.
BACKGROUND
Food safety is a critical issue in school food program.


OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to assess the bacteriological quality and food safety practices of a municipal school food program (MSFP) in Jequitinhonha Valley, Brazil.


METHODS
A checklist based on good manufacturing practices (GMP) for food service was used to evaluate food safety practices. Samples from foods, food contact surfaces, the hands of food handlers, the water supply and the air were collected to assess bacteriological quality in establishments that comprise the MSFP.


RESULTS
Nine (81.8%) establishments were classified as poor quality and two (18.2%) as medium quality. Neither Salmonella nor Listeria monocytogenes were detected in food samples. Coliforms, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus were detected in 36 (52.9%), 1 (1.5%) and 22 (32.4%) of the food samples and in 24 (40.7%), 2 (3.3%) and 13 (22.0%) of the food contact surfaces, respectively. The counts of coliforms and Staphylococcus aureus ranged from 1 to 5.0 and 1 to 5.1 log CFU/g of food, respectively. The mean aerobic mesophilic bacteria count was 3.1 log CFU/100 cm2 of surface area. Coliforms, E. coli and S. aureus were detected on the hands of 33 (73.3%), 1 (2.2%) and 36 (80%) food handlers, respectively. With regard to air quality, all the establishments had an average aerobic mesophilic count above 1.6 log CFU/cm2/week.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate the need to modify the GMP used in food service in MSFP in relation to food safety, particularly because children served in these establishments are often the most socially vulnerable.
Department of Nutrition. Federal University of Jequitinhonha and Mucuri Valleys (UFVJM). Diamantina. Minas Gerais. Brazil.. psobrinho@pq.cnpq.br.
Samara
S
Nagla Chaves Trindade
Julia
J
Silva Pinheiro
Héllen
H
Gonçalves de Almeida
Keyla
K
Carvalho Pereira
Paulo
P
de Souza Costa Sobrinho
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D059022:Food Safety; D005522:Food Services; D006801:Humans; D012574:Schools; D060753:Water Quality