Microbiological Analysis of Food Contact Surfaces in Child Care Centers

Abstract

A study of six child care centers was conducted to assess the microbiological quality of three food contact surfaces (one food serving surface and two food preparation surfaces) and one non-food contact surface (diaper changing surface) to determine the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitization procedures within the facilities. Aerobic plate counts (APCs) and Escherichia coli/coliform counts of 50-cm 2 areas on all surfaces were determined using standard microbiological swabbing methods. Samples were taken three times a day (preopening, lunchtime, and following final cleanup) twice per month for 8 months in each child care center (n ‫؍‬ 288 sampling times). Mean log APCs over the survey period were 1.32, 1.71, 1.34, 1.96, 1.50, and 1.81 log CFU/50 cm 2 for the six centers. Mean log coliform counts were 0.15, 0.40, 0.33, 1.41, 0.28, and 1.12 CFU/50 cm 2 for the same centers. Coliforms were detected in 283 of 1,149 (24.7%) samples, with counts ranging from 1 to 2,000 CFU/50 cm 2 , while E. coli was detected in 18 of 1,149 (1.6%) samples, with counts ranging from 1 to 35 CFU/50 cm 2 . The findings of this study demonstrated that the extent of bacterial contamination was dependent on the center, time of day, and the area sampled. While no direct correlation between contamination and illness can be made, given the high risk of food-borne illness associated with children, microbial contamination of food contact or non-food contact surfaces is an aspect of food safety that requires more attention. Emphasis on training and the development of modified standard sanitation operating procedures for child care centers are needed to reduce potential hazards.

Reflecting Leadership Effectiveness via Food-hygiene Practices

“…The microbial assessment focused on food serving trays and dining table tops. The choice of these samples is consistent with several other reported studies that have included a microbial evaluation of FCS items (Cosby et al, 2008;Mazni, Toh, Mohd Faiz Foong, & Norazmir, 2013;Schlegelova et al, 2010). Using triplicates of each sample, the microbial assessment of total coliform was 36 (3 samples x 2 subjects x 1 parameter x 6 foodservice establishments).…”

“…In a foodservice operation, proper use of FCS is prioritized as a way of controlling the transmission of foodborne pathogens to readyto-eat food (RTE) (Cosby et al, 2008). While contaminated food has a direct effect on human health, contaminated FCS is more critical.…”

Catering services and HACCP: Temperature assessment and surface hygiene control before and after audits and a specific training session

“…However, there are currently no existing microbiological criteria in Spain for evaluating hygiene of surfaces in catering kitchens. In addition, no unified criteria were found among the various publications that were reviewed (Cosby et al, 2008;Forsythe & Hayes, 1998;Henroid, Mendonca, & Sneed, 2004;Marzano & Balzaretti, 2013;Sneed et al, 2004;Solberg et al, 1990). Therefore, a limit of ≤ 100 CFU/25 cm 2 (≤ 0.6 log 10 CFU/cm 2 ) was used in this study for determining that a work surface is clean, based on the experience of over 3000 surfaces analyzed in the catering business and on the fact that the Rodac plate count method does not provide reliable results when the count exceeds 100 CFU/plate (25 cm 2 ).…”

Prevalence, Molecular Diversity, and Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns of Pathogenic Bacteria Isolated From Medical Foods, Food Staff, Cooking Instruments, and Clinical Samples in a Teaching Hospital in Tehran, Iran

“…Utensils, such as industrial blender and meat grinder, regardless of the contamination of raw food materials, could be the sources of pathogenic bacteria, because their cleaning and disinfection cannot accompany completely due to their designed structure (20,21). Food handlers, through their weak health, are also suspects of common sources of bacterial contamination in such outbreaks.…”