Factors interfering with the adoption of good hygiene practices in public school food services in Bahia, Brazil.

This cross-sectional study aimed to identify factors that interfere with the adoption of good hygiene practices in public school food services (SFS) in Bahia, Brazil. The search was conducted in public schools in Bahia/Brazil. Data collection included (i) evaluation of the adoption of Good Practices in school food services through visual observation and registration in the checklist in Good Hygienic Practices in School Food Services; (ii) Identification of schools' foodservice physical areas and environmental comfort measures; (iii) identification of sociodemographic and occupational characteristics and assessment of attitudes and level of knowledge in food hygiene. The minimum sample of 158 schools (confidence level of 95% and an error of 5%) was stratified considering the total number of districts (areas) and the schools' number per area. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Science-SPSS® in version 26.0. The categorical variables were described as frequencies and percentages, and the quantitative variables as mean and standard deviation. Chi-square, Kruskal-Wallis with Tukey's post-hoc tests were used to examine qualitative variables. Independent Student t-test and ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc tests were used to examine quantitative variables. Categorical variables were evaluated by Pearson Chi-squared tests. The Pearson test was used to analyze the correlation between Attitude and knowledge. The classification of the sanitary status was of moderate risk in 74.8% (n = 119) of the SFS (51-75% of compliance) and 25.2% (n = 40) at high risk (26-50% compliance). The average percentage of compliance for the 159 SFS in the municipality was 50.23%, obtaining a high-risk classification (26-50% compliance). In the SFS, the absence of dry goods' storage, meat preparation area, and storage of residues in more than 98% of schools was observed. Accessing attitudes, 1.4% (n = 2) of the food handlers were classified as unsatisfactory (0 to 49% of correct answers), 8.5% (n = 12) as satisfactory with restriction (50-69% of correct answers) and 90.1% (n = 128) as satisfactory. There was no correlation between Attitude and Knowledge level (p = 0.394). Considering the knowledge level, the item with the highest and lowest number of hits were: "To avoid food contamination, I wash and disinfect my hands before preparing food" and "Contaminated food will always have some change in color, smell, or taste". There was a significant difference in the level of knowledge considering mean wage (p = 0.000), time working in school food service (p = 0.001), weekly workday (p = 0.000), and participation in food hygiene training (p = 0.000). Therefore, factors that interfered in adopting good practices in the SFS were: inadequate physical structure, absence of areas in the SFS, and absence/low number of equipment to control the production process in the cold and hot chain. Food handlers showed satisfactory attitudes and level of knowledge. However, the physical structure of the SFS compromises the adoption of good practices. It risks the safety of the food served to students at the evaluated public schools.

A Study on Perception and Exposure to Occupational Risks at Public School Food Services in Bahia, Brazil.

Food service work is hazardous due to the intense rhythm of food production, and the working conditions can cause discomfort, fatigue, and occupational accidents and illnesses. For the perception of exposure to occupational hazards, workers must participate in continuing education programs. This study aimed to verify the perception and exposure to occupational risks at school food services (SFS) in Bahia, Brazil. This cross-sectional study was conducted in SFS from public schools in Bahia/Brazil. Researchers identified sociodemographic variables, occupational characteristics, and the Perception of Exposure to Occupational Risks by SFS food handlers. Also, anthropometric assessment (weight, height, and waist circumference), the presence of comorbidities, and the identification of exposure to occupational risks and measures of environmental comfort were evaluated. Most workers were female (98.6%; n = 140), mean age of 46.85 y/o, working as SFS food handlers between 1 and 5 years (50.7%; n = 72) but with no training on occupational risks (52.8%; n = 75). This lack of training is not associated with demographic or other occupational variables. The majority of the food handlers present a fair or good perception of exposure to occupational risk. These food handlers are also mostly overweight, and higher BMI was associated with hypertension and edema. The SFS were classified as of high occupational risk (mean of 31.24% of adequacy) environments. Ergonomic Risks had the lowest percentage of adequacy (7.69%, very high risk) regarding occupational risks, followed by chemical risks (31.5% of adequacy, high risk), accident risk (32.19%, high risk), and physical risk (36.89%, high risk). The excess of activities associated with precarious physical structure, insufficient number of equipment and utensils (in inadequate conservation) favors the exposure to occupational risk in SFS.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in raw meats and prepared foods in public hospitals in salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

This study investigated the presence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in raw meat and fish and foods prepared from them for patient consumption in public hospitals in Salvador, Bahia, in northeastern Brazil. A total of 114 samples of raw meat and fish (chicken, n = 30; beef, n = 30; pork, n = 24; and fish, n = 30) and 63 samples of prepared foods (made with chicken, n = 15; beef, n = 15; pork, n = 15; and fish, n = 18) were collected from the kitchens of 10 different hospitals. Of the 114 investigated raw meat and fish samples, 28.1% were positive for MRSA, which comprised 23.3% beef, 23.3% chicken, 37.5% pork, and 30% fish samples. Of the prepared foods, 9.5% were positive for MRSA, which comprised 5.6% chicken products, 6.7% pork products, and 22.2% fish products. MRSA contamination was not detected in prepared beef dishes. A statistical analysis showed no association between the presence of MRSA and the type of raw food (P > 0.05). The high prevalence of MRSA among the raw foods tested and the presence of the microorganism in prepared foods emphasizes the necessity of enforcing hygienic practices within hospital kitchens.

Conhecimento, atitudes e práticas em segurança alimentar de manipuladores de alimentos em hospitais públicos de Salvador, Bahia / Food safety: knowledge, attitudes and practices of food handlers in Public hospitals of Salvador, Bahia / Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de seguridad alimentaria de los manipuladores de alimentos en los hospitales públicos de Salvador, Bahia

Doenças veiculadas por alimentos têm aumentado nos anos mais recentes, com maior impacto na saúde e economia dos países em desenvolvimento do que em países desenvolvidos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o nível de conhecimento, atitudes e práticas em segurança alimentar dos manipuladores de alimentos em hospitais públicos de Salvador, Bahia. Trata-se de estudo descritivo, exploratório, de corte transversal, que envolveu 237 manipuladores de alimentos de dez hospitais públicos de Salvador, Bahia. A coleta de dados foi realizada mediante aplicação de formulário estruturado para avaliar o nível deconhecimento, atitudes e práticas em segurança alimentar. Os resultados indicaram que a maioria dos manipuladores foi treinada (92,8por cento), mas o nível de conhecimento foi insuficiente para 65,8por cento da amostra. A atitude recebeu os mais altos escores, com 98,3por cento de acertos, e as práticas suficientes foram encontradas em 73,4por cento da amostra. A análise de regressão logística mostrou associação entre o conhecimento e a escolaridade dos manipuladores (p<0,05), bem como falta de associação entre o nível de conhecimento e a participação em cursos de treinamento sobre segurança de alimentos (p>0,05). Concluiu-se que cursos de treinamento mais específicos devem ser planejados para os manipuladores de alimentos dos hospitais.

Foodborne diseases have been increasing in recent years, with a greater impact on the health and economy of the developing countries than on the developed countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices in food safety of food handlers in public hospitals of Salvador, Bahia. This is a descriptive, exploratory andtransversal study, conducted with 237 food handlers from ten public hospitals of Salvador, Bahia. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire to assess the food handlers safety knowledge, attitudes and practices. The results indicated that most of the handlers hadbeen trained (92.2percent), but their level of knowledge was insufficient. Attitude received the highest scores, 98.3percent accuracy and practices were sufficient 73.4percent of the handlers. Logistic regression analysis showed association between knowledge and the level of education(p<0.05) and lack of association between level of knowledge and training on food safety (p>0.05). It seems that more specific training courses should be planned for food handlers.

En los últimos años, las enfermedades transmitidas por alimentos hanaumentado, con mayor impacto en la salud y en la economía de los países en desarrollo de que en los países desarrollados. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el nivel de conocimiento, actitudes y prácticas, en materia de seguridad alimentaria, de los manipuladores de alimentos en los hospitales públicos de Salvador, Bahía. Estudio descriptivo, exploratorio, de enfoque transversal, con la participación de 237 manipuladores de alimentos en diez hospitales públicos de Salvador, Bahia. La recolecta de datos se realizó mediante la aplicación de un formulario estructurado para evaluar el nivel de conocimiento, actitudes y prácticas en materia de seguridad alimentaria. Los resultados indicaron que la mayoría delos manipuladores se ha capacitado (92,8por ciento), pero, para el 65,8por ciento de la muestra, el nivel de conocimiento fue insuficiente. La actitud recibió las puntuaciones más altas, con el 98,3por ciento de aciertos y, en un 73,4por ciento de la muestra, las prácticas fueron encontradas suficientes. Un análisis de regresión logística mostró una asociación entre el conocimiento y la escolaridad de los manipuladores (p <0,05), bien como la falta de asociación entre el nivel de conocimiento y la participación en cursos de formación sobre seguridad alimentaria (p> 0,05). Se concluye que los cursos de formación más específicos deben ser planificados para los manipuladores de alimentos de los hospitales.