Abstract
In Ecuador, the San Pablo commune is one of the main tourist destinations in the Ecuadorian coastal region, recognized for its scenic landscapes and its gastronomy based on fish and seafood. The objective of this study is to evaluate the hygienic quality of the food offered in this location. Hence, five local restaurants were audited for compliance to good manufacturing practices (GMP), considering requirements for personnel, raw materials, facilities, equipment and utensils, quality assurance and storage conditions. Concurrently, four groups of ready-to-serve foods were sampled: rice, fish, natural juice, and raw salads to analyze total coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp. The results confirmed the absence of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp. However, values outside the norm for total coliforms were quantified in three food groups. There was an average compliance of 66.46 ± 16.67% regarding GMP with no significant difference in compliance between the six groups of requirements. These results indicate that work is needed to improve GMP, increase the hygienic quality of food and enhance the gastronomy offered in San Pablo.
Highlights
The gastronomy of San Pablo is well appreciated by consumers who seek its rich offer of preparations based on seafood
There is evidence of total coliforms in three of four food groups analyzed, which indicates an insufficient level of hygiene that must be corrected to avoid possible contamination with specific pathogenic bacteria
When the total coliforms exceed regulatory standards, since this microbial group is an indicator of hygiene, there is a susceptibility to the contamination of food during the same preparation process with pathogenic microorganisms
Summary
The current trend in travelers’ activities from all over the world favors the consumption of local foods. From a tourist perspective, food structures the tourist’s day since a large part of it is devoted to deciding where and what food and beverages to consume [1]. According to Brokaj [1], the motivations for consuming local foods include five factors: taste quality, authentic experience, rural development, concern for health, and learning. In developing gastronomy as a tourist attraction, consumers’ quality includes food and service [2]. In this regard, in coastal destinations, the main motivations of tourists are resting and enjoying the beach, the sun, and the typical gastronomy of the area [3]
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