Avaliação microbiológica e das condições higiênico-sanitárias em padarias da fronteira oeste, RS

Abstract

Inadequate food preparation or production is a recurrent problem, which leads to serious health and economic problems. Foodborne diseases occur through contamination, at any stage of food production, from chemical, physical and microbiological agents. There are reports of several outbreaks in commercial establishments that work with food, including bakeries, which points to the need for compliance with good practices. The aim of this work was to analyze the hygienicsanitary situation in bakeries and the risk to consumer safety, through the application of checklists and evaluation of microbiological contamination in the production environment of these establishments. The study was carried out in the municipality of Rosário do Sul, Fronteira Oeste region of Rio Grande do Sul. Ten bakeries registered in the Municipal Sanitary Surveillance were selected and identified with numbers from 1 to 10. The checklist applied in each location followed the model of Annex II of RDC Nº 275/2002, containing 149 items evaluated as yes, no, and not applicable. Subsequently, microbiological sampling was performed to evaluate the presence of indicator groups total aerobic mesophiles and molds and yeasts dispersed in the air, using the sedimentation technique. Twelve points were collected in the establishments, grouped into equipment, workbenches and production surfaces, and product display area for commercialization. The application of the checklists showed a low index of general adequacy, with an average of 45.28% among the ten establishments tested. The best establishment was Bakery 9, with 84.92% of adequacy to good practices and Bakery 7 had the worst value of 21.31%. The classification by legislation showed that 70% of the evaluated establishments were in Group 3 - Deficient. The analysis of the microbiological collection showed greater contamination by total aerobic mesophiles in equipment followed by worktops and production surfaces, with the worst results in Bakeries 4 and 8 and the best in Bakery 6. Mold and yeast counts were lower, with Bakery 1 having the highest values, a group potentially causing deterioration in bakery products. The results found in the bakeries in the city are worrisome and it is evident the need to adopt measures to minimize and control the risks to the safety of the food produced. Besides investments in infrastructure, equipment, utensils, and training in good practices for handlers and responsible people, continuous inspection should be maintained to verify adequacy with the good practices in the municipality. The owners and responsible for the bakeries need to understand that the adequacy raises the production level, reduces product loss, generates a competitive differential allied to quality, and guarantees consumer safety.