Contaminación cruzada: Uso de tablas de cortar al manipular alimentos en el entorno doméstico

Abstract

The objective of this work was to carry out a bibliographical review on the approach to cross contamination in the domestic environment, using cutting boards as a tool used in food handling in domestic households, serving as a vehicle for contamination, and as interest for study, in addition to important aspects related to the safety and handling of food at home. Foodborne diseases are defined as infectious or toxic diseases caused by the consumption of contaminated food or water, and the home is considered a place of origin for these diseases based on the food handled and ingested in the home itself. The main errors during food handling are related to the hygiene conditions in the places and surfaces where these foods are handled, with cross-contamination as the main factor responsible for the transfer of microorganisms from one material or contaminated food to another. Cutting surfaces are utensils widely used in the preparation and manipulation of food, whether raw or ready-to-eat and, as handlers are unaware of adequate measures for hygiene, storage, and conservation of these surfaces, the organic matter and microorganisms present in raw foods can remain adhered to them, serving as a source of constant contamination. The permanence and adhesion of microorganisms can occur on any type of surface with the production of biofilms. Biofilms can be defined as communities of sessile cells, consisting of one or more bacterial species, included in a matrix of extracellular polymers (exopolysaccharides - EPS) adhered to an inert or living surface. Biofilms can contribute to the permanence of microorganisms on cutting boards, which may compromise the microbiological quality of food handled on these surfaces, exposing people to biological risk through the biotransfer of pathogenic microorganisms. Studies show that these pathogenic microorganisms may have some degree of resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants used in disease control and the hygiene of this utensil, and exposure to pathogens associated with their degree of resistance raises concerns for the World Health Organization (WHO), which reveals a worrying scenario for public health.