1,721,019 research outputs found
Prevention of travel-related foodborne diseases : microbiological risk assessment of food handlers and ready-to-eat foods in northern Italy airport restaurants
No full textThe focus of this study was to assess the hygienic standards of 44 foodservice facilities located in three Italian International Airports (with an output ranging from 100 to 800 meals a day), by monitoring the microbiological quality and safety of foods ready for consumption (n = 773), food contact surfaces (n = 302), and food handlers (n = 287). The hygienic standard of surfaces was sufficiently high. Only 7.9% of surfaces did not conform with advisory standards in terms of total coliforms, and 2.6% were found to be contaminated with Enterococcus spp. at >= 1.0 log(10) CFU/cm(2). The hygienic standard of washed and disinfected hands of food workers was not adequately high: the total bacterial count and coagulase positive Staphylococci exceeded the satisfactory limit in 8.4% and 3.5% of cases, respectively. The microbial analysis of foods examined showed an absence of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. Food sample analyses highlighted a percentage of samples that did not conform to microbial reference standards: Staphylococcus aureus non-conforming percentages ranged from 2.3% for "fully cooked food" to 9.2% for "raw fruit and vegetables"; Escherichia coil, from 0.0% for "raw fruit and vegetables" to 6.1% for "cooked and uncooked foods"; total coliforms from 14.3% for "fully cooked food" to 79.8% for "cooked and uncooked food". In conclusion, the results suggest that more effort is needed in the application of HACCP principles. In order to prevent travel-related foodborne infections, various changes in the timing of food preparation and holding temperatures are needed, together with further training of food handlers
Cook-serve method in mass catering establishments : is it still appropriate to ensure a high level of microbiological quality and safety?
No full textThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the hygienic quality of three traditional "cook-serve" catering establishments in Lombardy, Italy (with an output ranging from 800 to 1700 meals a day), by monitoring the microbiological quality and safety of foods ready for consumption (n = 727), tap water (n = 32), microfiltered drinking water (n = 28), food contact surfaces (n = 280), and food handlers (n = 76). The food contact surfaces showed unacceptable contamination in 17.1% of samples. The hygienic level of the washed hands of food workers was very high, since only 1.3% of samples showed unacceptable contamination. Food sample analyses highlighted a percentage of samples that did not conform to microbial reference standards: the presence of Listeria monocytogenes was found in 11.5% of "soft cheese" samples. Staphylococcus aureus non-conforming percentages ranged from 2.2% for "first and second courses" to 34.6% for "soft cheeses"; Escherichia coli, from 2.7% for "raw vegetables" to 7.7% for "soft cheeses"; total coliforms from 6.7% for "first and second courses" to 76.4% for "raw vegetables" The results of the water analysis indicated a high frequency of contamination with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (21.4% for microfiltered drinking water and 21.9% for tap water samples). In conclusion, the results suggest that more effort should be made in the application of HACCP principles. In addition in order to ensure a higher level of microbiological safety of meals, various changes in the timing of food preparation and holding temperatures are needed
Monitoring bacteriological quality of precooked lasagna
No full textThe effects of two preparation methods, two packaging materials, and modified atmosphere condition, on the bacteriological quality and safety of precooked lasagna, were studied. Microbiological analyses focused on Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, spores of sulphite-reducing clostridia, and on mesophilic and psychrotrophic aerobic bacteria, total coliforms and lactic acid bacteria. In total, 81 samples were examined, for up to 28 days. No pathogenic microorganisms were detected. After 28 days, spoilage-hygiene markers levels were non-compliant to reference standards. In conclusion, lasagna prepared with hot method in polyethylene packages were acceptable for up to 21 day
Protecting child health by preventing school-related foodborne illnesses : microbiological risk assessment of hygiene practices, drinking water and ready-to-eat foods in Italian kindergartens and schools
No full textThe purpose of this study was to evaluate hygiene and microbial safety in 26 Italian school catering
establishments. This involved monitoring the microbiological quality and safety of ready-to-eat foods
(n 1⁄4 395), drinking water (n 1⁄4 43), food contact surfaces (n 1⁄4 139), and food handlers (n 1⁄4 249). Food
samples analyses revealed an adequate level of microbiological quality and safety. Of particular concern
was the isolation of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in 5.8% and 1.9% of raw vegetable samples,
respectively. Escherichia coli counts exceeded the microbial reference standards in 8.6% of soft cheeses
samples and in 27.3% of multi-ingredients preparations. Staphylococcus aureus counts exceeded the
reference limits only in 5.7% of soft cheeses samples. The hygienic level of food contact surfaces was very
high, since only 1.4% of samples showed unacceptable contamination. Concerning the food workers’
hands, the results showed that the total bacterial count, coagulase positive staphylococci and Enterobacteriaceae
levels exceeded the reference standards in 18.1%, 10.4%, and 11.2% of cases, respectively. The
results of the water analyses indicated that 47.8% of the tap water and 10.0% of drinking water samples
examined were found to be non-conforming to law limits. In conclusion, since children have a relatively
lower immunity than adults, additional safety measures are needed to protect them from foodborne
pathogens and high microbial contamination in school lunches. Consequently, our results suggest that
various changes in the timing of food preparation and holding temperatures are needed, and good
manufacturing practices and HACCP principles need to be applied more rigorously
Indagine preliminare sulla qualità batteriologica di acqua microfiltrata in strutture della ristorazione collettiva
No full text
L'uso di stoviglie a perdere nella ristorazione scolastica : riflessioni sulla sostenibilità ambientale
No full textThe growing demand for food safety guarantees is increasingly accompanied by the interest towards food and environmental-friendly processes and thus the quality of life. This paper gives practical considerations on the use of reusable and disposable tableware in public catering facilities, and shows the results of
scientific studies of Life-cycle energy analyses conducted in the U.S.A. and in a large city in Northern Italy
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