RESUMO O consumo de queijo artesanal, vendido em estabelecimentos de beira de estrada, é comum no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. Geralmente estes produtos não são fabricados em acordo com as boas normas de fabricação

The hygienic and sanitary control in Food and Nutrition Units (FNU) is considered a standard procedure to produce adequate meals and reduce the risk of foodborne diseases and hospital infections. This study aimed to evaluate the isolation and identification of bacteria from equipment and food contact surfaces in a hospital FNU as well as to evaluate the sanitary condition. Likewise, it was analyzed the adhesion of the microorganisms on polyethylene cutting boards. The presence of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, yeasts, molds, coagulase-positive staphylococci, coliform and fecal coliform, and Escherichia coli were analyzed on eating tables, countertop surfaces and cutting boards used for meat or vegetable handling, and equipment such as microwaves and refrigerators. The molecular identification it was done by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The adhesion of the microorganisms (biofilm formation) on meat and vegetable cutting boards was also evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. The results showed high numbers of all microorganisms, except for E. coli , which was not observed in the samples. The molecular analysis identified species of the Enterobacteriaceae family and species of the Pseudomonadaceae family. Scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed bacterial adhesion on the cutting board surfaces. The results obtained in this study indicated that the hygienic conditions of surfaces like plastic cutting boards and equipment in this hospital FNU were inadequate. The achievement and application of standard operating procedures could positively help in the standardization of sanitary control, reducing the microbial contamination and providing a safe food to hospitalized patients.

Sanitary conditions are essential for the production of meals and control of the presence of pathogensis important to guarantee the health of customers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sanitary quality of food services by checking the presence of thermotolerant coliforms, Staphylococcus sp. and evaluate the toxigenic potential from the latter. The analysis was performed on water, surfaces, equipment, ready-to-eat foods, hands and nasal cavity of handlers in seven food services. The water used in food services proved to be suitable for the production of meals. Most food, equipment and surfaces showed poor sanitary conditions due to the presence of thermotolerant coliforms (60.6%). Twenty-six Staphylococcus species were identified from the 121 Staphylococcus isolates tested. Staphylococci coagulase-negative species were predominant in the foods, equipment and surfaces. In food handlers and foods, the predominant species was Staphylococcus epidermidis. Twelve different genotypes were found after PCR for the classical enterotoxin genes. The seb gene (19.8%) was the most prevalent among all Staphylococcus sp. Both coagulase-positive and coagulase-negative Staphylococci showed some of the genes of the enterotoxins tested. We conclude that there are hygienic and sanitary deficiencies in the food services analyzed. Although coagulase-positive Staphylococci have not been present in foods there is a wide dispersion of enterotoxigenic coagulase-negative Staphylococci in the environment and in the foods analyzed, indicating a risk to consumer health.

The polymorphic region sequences in the iap gene were analyzed in 25 strains of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cheeses in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and compared with reference strains. This investigation distinguished two clusters of L. monocytogenes: I (20 strains) and II (5 strains).

O queijo do tipo colonial é caracterizado por ser um produto semigordo, média umidade, maturação curta e de massa semimole. Ainda muito produzido de forma artesanal em regiões ao Sul do Brasil, devido ao clima propício para agropecuária nos meses mais frios. Para que sua produção seja de boa qualidade e seguro para o consumo é necessário controle de qualidade durante todo seu processamento, distribuição e comercialização, começando pela matéria prima (leite) e seu processamento até transformação em queijo. Podendo ocorrer contaminação durante estes processos que leva ao surgimento de Doenças Transmitidas por Alimentos (DTA) ao consumidor. Sendo assim o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a qualidade sanitária de queijos colonial comercializados em feiras livres (sem Cadastro Nacional de Pessoa Física) e do comércio varejista (com Cadastro Nacional de Pessoa Física) na cidade de Pelotas-RS. Para isto todas as amostras foram avaliadas quanto a sua adequação sanitária definida pela RDC 12/2001-ANVISA por meio verificação de presença de Salmonella spp., da análise de Coliformes a 45ºC e de Staphylococcus coagulase positiva. De modo geral 83,3% dos queijos com certificação vendidos no comércio varejista estavam seguros para o consumo, e apenas 16,6% dos queijos vendidos em feiras livres sem certificação. A partir de tais resultados verifica-se a necessidade de conscientização dos pequenos produtores, qualificação dos mesmos e vislumbra-se a certificação dos queijos coloniais a fim de revalorizar sua identidade e cultura artesanal. Programas de qualidade e revalorização do produto devem ser incentivados e postos em prática, agregando valor econômico, social e cultural a região produtora.