IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book - AB126

Methods: A written questionnaire was prepared and distributed to the catering unit’s operation manager. The food safety knowledge questionnaire was designed to obtain information about food handlers’ demographic characteristics, attitude and practices and knowledge of food safety. Part 1 included seven questions related to demographic characteristics and food safety training. Questions asked about food handlers’ attitude and practices in the second part. Results: The results of the study showed that around 61.5% of food handlers had secondary school education, and 11.5% of the population had a bachelor’s degree. Approximately 38.5% of participants had been employed between 3 and 10 years. A positive attitude was reported by the great majority of food handlers, as they answered that they always wear a cap, masks and gloves and that they take off protective clothing before using the toilet and before touching cooked foods. However, some variation was observed in how they washed their hands. The majority (88.5%) of food handlers answered that they always washed their hands with water and soap, while few (11.5%) answered that they washed their hands with water only. The food safety knowledge of food handlers was very good. This may be due to the fact that many of the participants (92.3%) had training in food hygiene and safety. Significance: The findings of this study demonstrate that the food handlers working at restaurants at the boy’s hostel of UAE university have good knowledge of food hygiene and food safety. However, more training can be imparted to them on temperature control. In addition, proper facilities to hold hot food hot and cold food cold should be added to the premises. Further, we recommend that they follow a HACCP system to ensure food safety. P2-61 Analysis of Microbial Populations Present on Checkstand Conveyor Belts in Grocery Stores ZHINONG YAN, Susan Vanderploeg and Barry Whitman Mol Industries, Grand Rapids, MI, USA Introduction: Checkstand conveyor belts in grocery stores could be a potential contamination source for foodborne pathogens. Not much microbial information on these conveyor belts has been documented. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the microbial populations present on checkstand conveyor belt surface in grocery stores. Methods: A total of 100 samples were collected from 42 grocery stores randomly selected in MI. Two or 3 conveyor belts from each store were sampled, using pre-moistened 1-ply composite tissue (CT) for an area of 10 × 10 cm. For microbial analysis, 40 ml of sterile neutralizing buffer was added in each Whirl-Pak® bag and homogenized by stomaching. The aliquots were appropriately diluted in 9 ml of buffer solution. One ml suitable diluents was pipetted onto 3M Petrifilm™ plates for total aerobic bacteria count (TAC), yeast and mold (YM), E. coli/coliforms (EC), and Staphylococcus (Staph) and counted at 2, 5, 2, and 2 days after incubation, respectively. The USDA FSIS protocols were followed to test for Listeria and Salmonella. For analysis of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), the samples were enriched in D-manitol salt broth and streaked onto Baird-Parker agar plates with Cefoxitin and incubated for 48 h. The microbial populations were presented as log CFU/cm2. Results: TAC, YM, and S. aureus were found from all the checkstand belts with populations of 5.8, 3.2, and 1.9 log CFU/ cm2, respectively, indicating poor hygiene on the belt surface across the grocery stores tested. There were 8 samples (8%) found positive for coliforms. However, no E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella, and MRSA were found from all the samples. Significance: Although no foodborne pathogens were found, high microbial populations were present on checkstand conveyor belts. This finding reinforces the need for sanitation practices in grocery stores. P2-62 Frequency of Salmonella spp. in Five Commercial Brands of Chicken Eggs Using a Combined Method of Enrichment and Nested-PCR GERARDO GUZMAN-GOMEZ, Miguel A. Ayala-Valdovinos, Elisa Cabera-Díaz, Julia A. Pérez-Montaño and Sandra L. Ruiz-Quezada Universidad de Guadalajara, Departamento de Farmacobiologia, CUCEI, Guadalajara, South Introduction: Egg or egg-based foods, raw or undercooked, have been identified as vehicles of Salmonella outbreaks. The low numbers of Salmonella in eggs makes difficult its detection in order to conduct frequency studies. Nested-PCR technique shows more sensibility and specificity than bacteriological methods. A pre-enrichment method followed by enrichment and Nested-PCR represents a good alternative for the investigation of Salmonella in eggs. Purpose: To investigate the frequency of Salmonella spp. in chicken eggs using an enrichment procedure followed by Nested-PCR. Methods: Two thousand chicken eggs representing 5 commercial brands (400 eggs per brand) were purchased from three grocery stores from June to September (summer season). Ten eggs of each brand were combined in order to obtain 200 pooled samples. Both shells and yolks of each pooled sample were individually analyzed. The detection method consisted of pre-enrichment in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 0.6% yeast extract (TSBYE), followed by selective enrichment in tetrathionate broth (TT) and then by Nested-PCR. Results: From the 100 egg shell pooled samples analyzed, 16 tested positive for Salmonella spp., while only 3 of the 100 egg yolk pooled samples tested positive for the pathogen. The isolation frequency of Salmonella spp. in egg shells was higher for brand A (6%), followed by brand B (4%), brand E (4%) and brand C (2%). With respect to egg yolk samples, only brand B, C and E were positive for Salmonella spp. (1% positive samples respectively). Significance: The isolation frequency of Salmonella spp. in egg were high with respect 0.25% founded in a study performed on year 2005 in Mexico, where bacteriological method was used. The combination of pre-enrichment in TSBYE, followed by enrichment in TT and Nested-PCR is useful for Salmonella spp. detection in foods where the expected number of cells is low, or the viable but not cultivable state could be present. Poster 126 — Abstract Book

IAFP 2009 Program Book and Abstract Book

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