Hygiene assessments of school kitchens based on the microbiological status of served food.
BACKGROUND
According to European trends, more children eat at school canteens than ever before, therefore food safety and quality have become increasingly significant in recent years. Nevertheless, there are large differences in food safety levels in different school canteens. We hypothesize that the microbial status of the served meal represents on the general hygiene of the kitchen. Our research examines whether mesophilic aerobic bacteria measured in served food are connected with the level of hygiene in the catering unit, and whether this indicator can be used as a criterion for assessing school kitchens.


METHODS
Meal samples were collected from six school kitchens, and mesophilic aerobic bacterial count was measured. Samples were collected on five different days, so each kitchen was monitored five times. Two meals per visit were collected: a soup and a main course.


RESULTS
Out of the 60 samples, 26 were good (CFU/g < 103), 24 were acceptable (CFU/g: 103&ndash;105), and in 10 samples, the microbial count was found to be above the limit (CFU/g > 105). Statistical calculations revealed that microbial contamination of served meals was influenced neither by the supplier nor by the type of meal (soup or main course). However, the level of hygiene in the serving kitchen significantly affects the microbial status of meals.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the results, a qualification system can be developed using the mesophilic aerobic bacterial count measurable in the served meal to assess hygiene. By regular determination of mesophilic aerobic bacterial count and the presence of Enterobacteriaceae, the food safety of a catering unit can be quantitatively evaluated.
['Tóth|András J|AJ|', 'Szakmár|Katalin|K|', 'Dunay|Anna|A|', 'Illés|Csaba B|CB|', 'Bittsánszky|András|A|']
D001420:Bacteria, Aerobic D058491:Bacterial Load D003296:Cooking D004755:Enterobacteriaceae D005511:Food Handling D005516:Food Microbiology D059022:Food Safety D005522:Food Services D006920:Hygiene D012574:Schools
contract catering microbial food safety microbiological quality quality assurance rapid microbiol- ogy school food