Identificação de pontos de contaminação microbiológica do peixe carapau durante o seu processamento estudo do caso: serviço universitário de alimentação

Abstract

Catering establishments have often been associated with outbreaks of foodborne infections. In order to reduce the incidence of such outbreaks, contamination of food by microbiological hazards such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and others must be prevented, reduced or eliminated. This may be achieved through the implementation of effective food safety practices. Food safety programmes can be subdivided into Pre-requisites such as maintenance, cleaning, personal hygiene, etc., and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points. The general objective of this study was to identify possible contamination points of horse mackerel fish during its processing at the University Food Service - SELF and to evaluate the degree of contamination in one point in relation to the others. The work was carried out following a research protocol. Visits were made to the study site in order to find out the points through which the food passes during processing up to the moment of confectioning, what hygiene measures are taken in this site, in the context of food preparation. Samples were taken randomly from 3 locations where the fish passes through before final preparation for consumption, and from these locations swabs were taken. A total of 56 samples were collected. The samples were analysed at the National Laboratory for Food and Water Hygiene (LNHAA) according to the techniques and methods adopted by this laboratory. The data obtained were analysed and it was found that the contamination levels in the moments before handling are microbiologically acceptable according to the limits recommended by the laboratory, but after passing through the handling bench, there was an increase in the bacterial colony count and the statistical analysis showed that there was a significant difference between the amount of bacteria occurring on the hands of the handlers and on the handling bench in relation to the transport trolley and the cold storage. The results suggest that handling is the stage in which the level of hygiene is lowest and that there is no regular microbiological control system in the food handling area in the Food Service of Eduardo Mondlane University .

(TRADUÇAO NOSSA)