Prevent Food Poisoning Research Articles

Food safety risk during the pandemic

Food safety risk during the pandemic

Evaluation of growth and cereulide production by Bacillus cereus isolated from cooked rice

Conditions influencing Bacillus cereus growth and cereulide production, such as temperature and pH, were evaluated at varying incubation periods. The growth and cereulide production at different temperatures and pH values ranging from 10 to 40 ºC and 5.0 to 8.5, respectively showed that the temperature from 20 to 30 ºC and at pH from 6.0 to 7.0 gave the optimum growth and cereulide production by B. cereus SA105. pH below 6.0 resulted in reduced growth and cereulide production. Cereulide production increased along with the incubation period, and maximum cereulide titre (ng/mL) of 1219.1±8.90 was obtained after 6 days of incubation at 30 ºC and pH 6.5 under static conditions. There was no quantifiable toxin at incubation temperatures of 10 and 40 ºC by B. cereus SA105. This work further reveals that B. cereus growth and cereulide production was significantly affected by temperature and pH in relation to the incubation period. Furthermore, the findings of this study will serve as a means for reducing the diversity of emetic toxin-producing B. cereus population in food and food products, thus preventing food poisoning.

Evaluation of growth and cereulide production by Bacillus cereus isolated from cooked rice

Conditions influencing Bacillus cereus growth and cereulide production, such as temperature and pH, were evaluated at varying incubation periods. The growth and cereulide production at different temperatures and pH values ranging from 10 to 40 ºC and 5.0 to 8.5, respectively showed that the temperature from 20 to 30 ºC and at pH from 6.0 to 7.0 gave the optimum growth and cereulide production by B. cereus SA105. pH below 6.0 resulted in reduced growth and cereulide production. Cereulide production increased along with the incubation period, and maximum cereulide titre (ng/mL) of 1219.1±8.90 was obtained after 6 days of incubation at 30 ºC and pH 6.5 under static conditions. There was no quantifiable toxin at incubation temperatures of 10 and 40 ºC by B. cereus SA105. This work further reveals that B. cereus growth and cereulide production was significantly affected by temperature and pH in relation to the incubation period. Furthermore, the findings of this study will serve as a means for reducing the diversity of emetic toxin-producing B. cereus population in food and food products, thus preventing food poisoning.

Безпечність консервів м’ясних з яловичини за вмістом токсичних елементів

Abstract. Meat market operators are required to comply with food safety laws. And state control should be risk-oriented and carried out at all stages of the production and circulation of meat products and risks should be identified. The content of toxic elements should be strictly regulated in foodstuffs to ensure the release of safe products to consumers as a result of monitoring the implementation of permanent GMP/GHP and HACCP-based procedures. The introduction of the HACCP system allows market operators to ensure compliance with technological requirements for the production of canned meat, packaging, packaging that affects their safety, ensure the production of safe products of good quality through systematic control at all stages of production and storage. It should be noted that during the production of canned meat, the composition of ingredients, packaging, packaging for the content of hazardous substances such as toxic elements must be monitored. To ensure the safety of beef meat cans, the hygienic requirements for their production and handling, as well as the technological instructions for the safety and quality of beef, auxiliary components and ingredients, must be adhered to. Due to the contamination of foodstuffs with toxic substances it is necessary to establish their biological value and suitability for use by consumers in order to prevent food poisoning . The pressing question now is regarding the assessment and correlation of the toxicity parameters of various hazardous substances for the Tetrahymena pyriformis biological test object. Studies have found that the content of toxic elements of Plumbum, Cadmium, Arsenic, Hydrargium, Kuprum, Zinc, Tin did not exceed the normative parameters in the samples of canned meat from beef producers number 1 - 6, and producers number 7 - 10 noted their excess. The highest content of toxic elements was observed in the following manufacturers: in No. 7 - the content of Plumbum 2.78 times ( Р < 0.001), Zinc - 2.44 times, Arsenic - 1.70 times ( Р < 0.001), Cadmium - in 1.60 times ( Р < 0.001), Kuprum - 1.23 times ( Р < 0.001); in No. 8 - Arsenic content - 4.0 times ( Р < 0.001), Hydrargium - 3.33 times ( Р < 0.001), Plumbum - 2.92 times (p < 0.001),), Zinc - 2 , 89 times ( Р < 0.001), Cadmium - 2.60 times ( Р < 0.001), Kuprum - 1.74 times ( Р < 0.001) ; compared to control indicators, and Tin - 1.02 times compared to regulatory metric ; in No. 9 - Cadmium 2.40 times ( Р < 0.001); in No. 10 - Zinc 2.86 times ( Р < 0.001) Plumbum - 2.24 times ( Р < 0.001), Arsenic - 2.20 times ( Р < 0.001), Kuprum - 1.21 times ( Р < 0.01) compared to controls, and Tin content 1.09 times the norm. Therefore, canned beef canned meat at Nos. 7 - 10 are not scrapped and are not released. When determining the biological value of beef canned meat using the Tetrahymena pyriformis test object, it was found that canned meat of beef producers 7 - 10 had the lowest relative biological value of 66.13 to 68.09 %, and also manufacturers No. 1 and No. 3, respectively, 78.69 and 78.38 %. Keywords : canned meat, beef, safety, toxic elements, biological value

A review on the monograph of N.R. Efimochkina «Bacterial food pathogens of the genus Campylobacter»

In the presented review of the book N.R. Efimochkina "Bacterial food pathogens of the Campylobacter genus" (Moscow, 2019) attention is drawn to the safety of food products and food raw materials, especially poultry products for consumers. In general, the problematic issues of campylobacteriosis and its causative agent are highlighted in a new way: the main reservoirs, sources and factors of pathogen transmission are indicated, theoretical issues are analyzed and generalized data of screening studies of food products and environmental objects in the poultry industry for bacteria of the genus Campylobacter are presented. Particular attention is paid to laboratory diagnostics of the pathogen for the presence of uncultivated forms of these pathogens, the existence of Campylobacter in biofilms, and the resistance of isolated cultures to antibiotics. Laboratory methods that improve the detection of these pathogens are proposed. The developed methodological documents that accelerate the processes of Campylobacter isolation and antibiotic resistance assessment are relevant, which is important for the efficiency of production control and sanitary inspections of poultry and meat processing enterprises at control critical points. The introduction of the methods described in the monograph for analyzing the content of Campylobacter in food products, on the surface of equipment and inventory will help to effectively manage the risks associated with contamination of food products by these pathogens. The monograph will be of great importance for improving the knowledge of a number of medical staff, including sanitary and hygienic profile, that is important for environmental protection, the prevention of food poisoning and intestinal infections with alimentary transmission factor.

Consumers' Awareness and Trust Toward Food Safety News on Social Media in Malaysia

Social media offers numerous advantages for personal users and organizations to communicate, socialize, and market their products. When used correctly, social media is an effective tool to communicate and to share food safety news and good practices. However, there have been reports of fake food safety news shared via social media, fueling panic and resulting in a loss of revenue. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the consumers' awareness, trust, and usage of social media in communicating food safety news in Malaysia. A questionnaire divided into five sections-(i) demographics, (ii) reaction to food safety news, (iii) consumers' awareness, (iv) social media truth and level of trust, and (v) social media uses and content creation-was created and shared online. A total of 341 questionnaires were returned of which 339 surveys were valid. This study revealed that less than one-third of the study group (27.1%) knew which of the food safety news were fake. Most respondents (67.8%) were less likely to purchase the affected foods if the foods were featured in social media as problematic, although no differences were made between true and fake news and how that would influence respondents' willingness to purchase affected foods. Overall, 62% of the respondents agreed or strongly agreed about the usage of social media and its ability to prevent food poisoning cases, while more than 50% of the respondents were in total agreement that social media allow consumers to act more responsibly by sharing food safety news. Respondents tended to trust information shared by scientists (67.5%) and family members and friends (33%). Respondents would most often share the news after verifying its authenticity (46%). If respondents experienced a personal food safety issue (e.g., discovered a fly in their meal), they seldom or never took photos to post online (56.1%). It is possible that the respondents preferred to inform the food handlers and/or shop owners about the affected products rather than post the photos online. It is suggested that targeted food safety information and media literacy be provided to improve consumers' awareness and to positively influence self-verification of the food safety information before sharing. This study provides crucial insights for a range of stakeholders, particularly public authorities, food bloggers, and the public, in using social media effectively to build consumers' awareness and trust in food safety information.

A cohort study investigating a point source outbreak of Clostridium perfringens associated with consumption of roasted meat and gravy at a buffet on Mothering Sunday 2018, South West, England

In March 2018, Public Health England was alerted to an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in persons who had eaten at a restaurant in the South West of England on Mothering Sunday. We aimed to determine the source of infection and control the outbreak. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken among all individuals who ate at the restaurant on March 11, 2018. Cases were defined as any person who consumed food from the restaurant and had diarrhoea or vomiting between 12:00 March 11, 2018 and 23:59 March 15, 2018. Data were collected using a secure electronic questionnaire. Descriptive, univariable and multivariable analyses were undertaken with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated for exposures. Clinical and food samples were collected for microbiological testing and molecular typing. The restaurant reported 293 people attending, 176 (60%) completed the survey and 146 (50%) provided sufficient information for inclusion in the analysis. Eighty-one persons met the case definition (attack rate 55.5%); eating from the roast meat buffet was associated with illness (OR: 7.80, 95% CI: 2.03–43.56). No single food item explained all the cases. Independent associations between consumption of gravy (adjusted OR (aOR): 5.35, 95% CI:2.21–12.93), lamb (aOR: 2.51, 95% CI:1.06–5.96), and eating during the later 16:00 sitting (aOR: 5.23, 95% CI:1.76–15.54) were identified. Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin was detected in clinical samples and the same strain of enterotoxigenic C. perfringens that was isolated from clinical samples was also detected in roasted lamb, beef and turkey. We found strong evidence for an outbreak of C. perfringens food poisoning associated with gravy and/or meat consumption. The data suggests cross-contamination between items, which increased over time. We recommend that health agencies ensure that restaurants serving roasted meat buffets adhere to minimum oven temperatures and take special measures to prevent food poisoning and cross contamination at the preparation and serving stage.

A lab-on-chip device for the sample-in-result-out detection of viable Salmonella using loop-mediated isothermal amplification and real-time turbidity monitoring.

Rapid screening of foodborne pathogens is key to prevent food poisoning. In this study, a lab-on-chip device was developed for rapid, automatic and sensitive detection of viable Salmonella typhimurium using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and smartphone real-time turbidity monitoring. First, magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with anti-Salmonella capture antibodies in propidium monoazide (PMA) were fully mixed with bacterial samples using two active magnetic stirring mixers at reverse rotating directions, and incubated in the serpentine channel with 470 nm blue light exposure, allowing specific formation of magnetic bacteria and sufficient PMA pretreatment of the DNA of dead bacteria. Then, the PMA-treated magnetic bacteria were separated in the separation chamber using the magnetic field and their genomic DNA templates were extracted using lysis buffer at 70 °C. Finally, the viable bacteria's DNA was amplified using LAMP in the detection chamber preloaded with the lyophilized LAMP reagents at 67.5 °C after blocking with paraffin oil to avoid aerosol cross contamination. Finally, the turbidity of the LAMP reaction system was monitored in a real-time manner for the quantitative detection of viable bacteria. The experimental results demonstrated that this device was able to automatically detect viable Salmonella as low as 14 CFU mL-1 in spiked chicken meat supernatants within 1.5 h. This device is very promising to provide a sample-in-result-out solution for the in-field detection of Salmonella and could be easily extended for other foodborne pathogens.

PCR Screening of Enterococcus faecalisfrom Mixture of Lactic Acid Bacteria Using Bile Salt Hydrolase Gene as a Selective Marker.

It is very important to rapidly detect the contamination of Enterococcus faecalis in fermented foods such as Korean Kimchi to maintain its freshness since Kimchi is exported to all over the world. However, gene sequence of E. faecalis is very similar among various Lactobacillus. So, there have been difficulties in its screening. We have designed primers based on Bile salt hydrolase gene of E. faecalis and applied them to PCR test. PCR band was identified only from E. faecalis and only from the mixture contaminated with E. faecalis. It means that the primers we designed are highly specific for distinguishing contamination of E. faecalis. It will be possible to precisely screen within 1h, which will greatly contribute to the prevention of food poisoning and quick quarantine.

Microbiological Quality and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Microorganisms Associated with Stored Vegetables in Port Harcourt

Aim: Vegetables are good sources of nutrients such as minerals, oil, vitamins and carbohydrates and are used in preparing different delicacies such as soups and salads. This study was aimed at investigating the microbiological quality and antibiotic resistance pattern of microorganisms associated with stored vegetables in raffia baskets.&#x0D; Methodology: The vegetables were obtained from the Nigerian Stored Products Research institute (NSPRI) farm in Port Harcourt. Ten grams (10 g) each of fresh vegetables were homogenized differently in 90ml of sterile diluent. Aliquot (0.1 ml) of 10-3 and 10-5 dilutions of each vegetable sample was plated on nutrient agar plates and incubated at 37ºC for 24hours. Identified isolates were standardized using the 0.5 McFarland standard. This was done by transferring colonies of the test isolates into sterile 4 mL normal saline and comparing the turbidity of the isolate in the test tubes with the already prepared 0.5 McFarland. The disc diffusion method was used in determining the susceptibility pattern of the microorganisms against the antibiotics. In this method, the standardized inoculums were seeded aseptically on freshly prepared Mueller Hinton agar plates. Whatman discs which have been impregnated with different concentrations of the antibiotics were placed on the seeded plates and incubated at 37ºC for 18-24 hours. &#x0D; Results: Zones of clearance or inhibition on plates were recorded. The genera Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Enterococcus, Enterobacter, Bordetella, Staphylococcus, Myroides, Escherichia, Serratia, Micrococcus and Acetobacter were identified as predominant microbes from the vegetables.&#x0D; Conclusion: Despite the high level of resistance to the antibiotics, Ciprofloxacin and Ofloxacin were the most effective and preferred drugs of choice for treatment of infections arising from the consumption of these vegetables. Adequate heating and blanching of vegetables is required at all times to prevent food poisoning.

Toxigenic potential and antimicrobial susceptibility of Bacillus cereus group bacteria isolated from Tunisian foodstuffs

BackgroundDespite the importance of the B. cereus group as major foodborne pathogens that may cause diarrheal and/or emetic syndrome(s), no study in Tunisia has been conducted in order to characterize the pathogenic potential of the B. cereus group. The aim of this study was to assess the sanitary potential risks of 174 B. cereus group strains isolated from different foodstuffs by detecting and profiling virulence genes (hblA, hblB, hblC, hblD, nheA, nheB, nheC, cytK, bceT and ces), testing the isolates cytotoxic activity on Caco-2 cells and antimicrobial susceptibility towards 11 antibiotics.ResultsThe entertoxin genes detected among B. cereus isolates were, in decreasing order, nheA (98.9%), nheC (97.7%) and nheB (86.8%) versus hblC (54.6%), hblD (54.6%), hblA (29.9%) and hblB (14.9%), respectively encoding for Non-hemolytic enterotoxin (NHE) and Hemolysin BL (HBL). The isolates are multi-toxigenic, harbouring at least one gene of each NHE and HBL complexes associated or not to bceT, cytK-2 and ces genes. Based on the incidence of virulence genes, the strains were separated into 12 toxigenic groups. Isolates positive for cytK (37,9%) harbored the cytK-2 variant. The detection rates of bceT and ces genes were 50.6 and 4%, respectively. When bacteria were incubated in BHI-YE at 30 °C for 18 h and for 5 d, 70.7 and 35% of the strains were shown to be cytotoxic to Caco-2 cells, respectively. The cytotoxicity of B. cereus strains depended on the food source of isolation. The presence of virulence factors is not always consistent with cytotoxicity. However, different combinations of enterotoxin genetic determinants are significantly associated to the cytotoxic potential of the bacteria. All strains were fully sensitive to rifampicin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, and gentamycin. The majority of the isolates were susceptible to streptomycin, kanamycin, erythromycin, vancomycin and tetracycline but showed resistance to ampicillin and novobiocin.ConclusionOur results contribute data that are primary to facilitate risk assessments in order to prevent food poisoning due to B. cereus group.

Development of Market Consumer Interconnector to Prevent Food Poisoning in Vietnam

Business model and consumer environmental sustainability performance are important drivers of food market players. The purpose of this study is to develop the hybrid cultural value systems and market-related forces to promote consumer satisfaction for improvement based on the business model innovation to possess a competitive advantage. Existing on consumer environmental sustainability performance and socio-demographic variables in the food safety landscape has been reviewed to present a clear business model of the current consumer behaviour studies. Methodology: The design of the study model used in this study was developedvia cultural value systems, consumer and, market-related forces in the development process. Market Consumer Interconnector have classified the good products safety management business model as the regulation of inputs such as the embodiment of socio-demographic profiles and an embodiment of cultural value systems information, which reinforcement on the consumer environmental sustainability performance to prevent food poisoning in Vietnam.

Knowledge, attitude and practices among parents regarding food poisoning: a cross-sectional study from Palestine

BackgroundFood serves as a vehicle for many pathogenic and toxigenic agents that cause food-borne diseases. Knowledge, attitude, and practices are key factors in reducing the incidence of food-borne diseases in food service areas. The main objective of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude, and practices related to food poisoning among parents of children in Nablus, Palestine.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in primary healthcare centers in Nablus district from May to July 2015. Data were collected using structured questionnaire interviews with parents to collect information on food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices, alongside sociodemographic characteristics.ResultsFour-hundred and twelve parents were interviewed, 92.7% were mothers. The median knowledge score was 12.0 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 11.0–14.0. The median attitude score was 11.0 with IQR of 10.0–13.0, while the median practice score was 18.0 with IQR of 16.0–19.0. Significant modest positive correlations were found between respondents’ knowledge and attitude scores regarding food poisoning (r = 0.24, p < 0.001), knowledge and practice scores regarding food poisoning (r = 0.23, p < 0.001), and attitude and practice scores regarding food poisoning (r = 0.30, p < 0.001). Respondents with a higher education level and who live in a city were the only factors significantly associated with higher knowledge scores (p < 0.05). Attitude improved as educational level increased (p < 0.05) and income level increased (p < 0.05). Those of female gender and employed were statistically significantly associated with higher satisfactory hygienic practices in relation to the prevention of food poisoning (p < 0.05).ConclusionsKnowledge, attitude, and practices regarding food poisoning prevention are associated with each other and are affected by a complex interplay between socio-economic variables. The study highlights the need for health education programmes and general awareness campaigns that intend not only to enhance knowledge but also promote parents to practice food safety measures strictly and further strengthen their awareness level.

Activities to support victims of the Kumamoto earthquakes by the Mifune Public Health Center in the Kumamoto prefecture: Infection control, prevention of food poisoning, and management of nutrition and daily meals

Activities to support victims of the Kumamoto earthquakes by the Mifune Public Health Center in the Kumamoto prefecture: Infection control, prevention of food poisoning, and management of nutrition and daily meals

Awareness of pregnant women about food safety principles in prevention of food poisoning

Introduction: Food poisoning is one of the most prevalent, while preventable, pathology all over the world, and associated with a plenty of negative consequences, especially during pregnancy.

Sensitive assay of Escherichia coli in food samples by microchip capillary electrophoresis based on specific aptamer binding strategy

The rapid and cost-effective detection of bacteria is of great importance to ensuring food safety, preventing food poisoning. Herein, we developed a sensitive detection of Escherichia coli (E. coli) using bacteria-specific aptamer in conjunction with microchip capillary electrophoresis-coupled laser-induced fluorescence (MCE-LIF). Based on the differences between charge to mass ratios of free aptamer and bacteria-aptamer complex, which influence their electrophoretic mobilities, the separation of free aptamers and complex peaks by MCE could be achieved. Under optimal conditions, the sensitive detection of E. coli was achieved with a detection limit of 3.7 × 102 CFU mL−1, at a fast response of 135 s and a short detection length of 2.3 cm. The spiked recovery experiment showed that E. coli could be recovered from spiked drinking water and milk samples with recovery rates of 94.7% and 92.8%, respectively. This work demonstrates that the established detection strategy can be a useful tool for the detection and/or monitoring of E. coli in food and environment.

The real situation of practice and knowledge of injury prevention among students of secondary schools in Dong Hung District, Thai Binh Province in 2015

Objective: The study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge and practice about injury prevention of thestudents in 4 secondary schools in Dong Hung District, Thai Binh Province in 2015Methodology: Descriptive 1008 secondary school studentsResults: There was low proportion of school students did not know the ways of preventing traffic accidentswhen walking (4.9%) and cycling (2.4%). Most of these children were able be prevent falls: did not go running,chasing spot slippery moss accounted for 67.9%; followed by not climbing on high trees, accounting for 62.9%;did not play near the plant under construction accounting for 59.4%; non-slip climbing stairs, railingsaccounting for 59.4%. Only 4.8% of students did not know the measures to prevent food poisoning. 4.4% ofstudents did not know the measures to prevent drowning. The percentage of students with improper behavior inpreventing traffic accidents was quite high: waving hand when you want to across the road (representing64.1%); with 23.2% of students cycling line 2, line 3 in the last 1 month; 9.1% of students did not wear ahelmet while sitting on a motorcycle. 34.5% of students still ran, chased each other in areas with slippery moss;19.2% of students were climbing high gates, tall trees; 12.7% of students climbed chairs, swung doors in thelast 1 month. In the last 1 month 38.9% of students still ate food of unknown origins; 10.9% of students left foodmixed with other chemicals; 8.7% of students used food, drinks that changed color and expiredConclusion: Highly rate of students do not have the knowledge and skills to practice injury prevention. It isnecessary to promote the propagation, education and training of these skills so that children developcomprehensively both physically and mentally

A study about the young consumers' consumption behaviors of street foods.

As in almost every country in the world, street foods are frequently used in Turkey. To determine the preferences for these foods, a questionnaire was given to 847 individuals constituted by randomly selected high school and university students. Of the participants, 43.4% were male and 56.6% were female; the majority of them were between 19 and 22 years of age. It was found that 40.1% of the young people ate street food 2-3 times per week, whereas 23.3% were found to eat it every day. Turkish bagels, döner, boiled corn in a cup and toast are most preferred street foods. A statistically significant negative correlations were found between consumption preference scores and education, gender, and age. Although consumers know that street foods can cause contamination with microorganisms, that sellers do not pay attention to hygiene, and that these foods are raw or not cooked well, they prefer because of their cheapness, deliciousness, variety and fast service. Street foods are widely consumed in Turkish young students and because of preventing food poisoning, they should be educated about food hygiene and safety. Also, educating vendors in personal hygiene and good manufacture practice can minimize contamination risk.

Effects of temperature, pH and curing on the viability of Sarcocystis, a Japanese sika deer (Cervus Nippon centralis) parasite, and the inactivation of their diarrheal toxin.

Recently, the Sarcocystis parasite in horse and deer meat has been reported to be a causative agent of acute food poisoning, inducing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Compared with other causative agents, such as bacteria, viruses and other parasites, in deer meat, the Sarcocystis species parasite, including its stability under various conditions, is poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the viability of Sarcocystis spp. and the activity of their diarrhea toxin (a 15-kDa protein) in deer meat under conditions of freezing, cold storage, pH change and curing. In addition, the heat tolerance was assayed using purified bradyzoites. The results showed that the species lost viability by freezing at −20, −30 and −80°C for <1 hr, heating at 70°C for 1 min, alkaline treatment (pH 10.0) for 4 days and addition of salt at 2.0% for <1 day. Immunoblot assays showed that the diarrhea toxin disappeared together with the loss of viability. However, the parasite survived cooling at 0 and 4°C and acidification (pH 3.0 and 5.0) for more than 7 days with the diarrhea toxin intact. These results provide useful information for developing practical applications for the prevention of food poisoning induced by diarrheal toxin of Sarcocystis spp. in deer meat during cooking and preservation.

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (Haccp) Assessment of Regulated Premises: An Assessment of Standard Hotels in Ilorin Metropolis

Food safety issues in developing countries are mostly centered on illnesses that are linked to poor hygiene but food hygiene in hotels remains an area of concern. Hospitality Industries are known to provide food, drink or accommodation to people who are away from home. Food poisoning can arise from public eating places like hotels and restaurants as a result unhygienic food preparation. The purpose of the study was to assess the HACCP compliance of standard hotels in Ilorin metropolis, Kwara state. Purposive sampling was used with laboratory component carried out in five standard hotels in Ilorin metropolis and the hotels with alphabets. Data were obtained through on-site observation using checklist and face to face interview.15 food samples (fried rice, white rice), 12 hand swab samples and 7 seven water samples were collected to determine the hygienic level of the food. Data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the results were presented using charts and tables. Proteus mirabilis, Proteus vulgaris, S. aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were isolated in various foods, water and hand swab. The total viable count was below 105CFU/g in all the seventeen (17) samples with 1.71 – 86.82 x 102 CFU in food, 1.65 – 12.2 x 102 CFU in hand swab and 10.63 23x102 CFU in water samples. From the findings, the food samples found to be within the marginal aerobic colony count limits according to the International Commission for Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICSMF, 1978). This implies that, though the food samples were within limits of acceptable microbiological quality, there might have been possible hygiene problems either in the preparation of the food or in handling of the food. From the checklist, it was revealed that majority (95%) of the hotels (B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I) did not meet the HACCP requirement. The study revealed that the concept of HACCP was not understood and that this could be impacting on the general food hygiene standards and food-handling practices of personnel. Therefore, there is need to implement HACCP system to prevent food poisoning outbreaks and the hotels can easily adapt the strategy only if law enforcers could put strict monitoring in place.