MICROBIOLOGICAL PURITY TESTING IN FOOD PRODUCTION AND MARKETING

Abstract

The Rulebook on microbiological purity criteria prescribes the criteria of microbiologicalpurity and the frequency of control of equipment, devices, utensils, work surfaces, work clothes andworkers' hands in food production and marketing as well as in facilities and means of transport thatcome in contact with food in which there is a risk of occurrence and the spread of infectious diseases.Food facilities, means of transport, items, accessories and equipment that come in contact with foodmust be regularly cleaned and disinfected to avoid any risk of contamination, and food and staffmust be under regular supervision. Food handling staff must maintain a high level of personalhygiene and be trained in terms of food hygiene requirements. The aim of the study was to determinethe state of microbiological purity in food production and marketing in facilities and means oftransport that come into contact with food. As the test material we used swab samples from thesurfaces of equipment, devices, utensils, work surfaces, work clothes and workers' hands originatingfrom facilities for the production and marketing of food, restaurants and other catering facilitiesserving food, facilities in the field of education and social protection (facilities for accommodatingpersons) and means of transport that come into contact with food. A total of 3393 samples wereexamined in the course of self-control and official control during 2017. For microbiologicalexamination of swab samples, standard BAS ISO methods were used. The percent of swab samplesthat did not satisfy the Rulebook on the criteria of microbiological purity in 2017 was 5.20%. Inrelation to the total number of samples tested, 4.70% of the samples were unsatisfactory due to anincreased number of microorganisms, and 1.40% due to an increased number of enterobacteriaceae.Pathogenic microorganisms Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes are not detected in anyswab sample. The largest percent of unsatisfactory samples was in the category "hands of foodhandlers" and amounted to 7.30%