Hazard analysis and critical control point evaluation of school food programs in Bahrain

Production and evaluation of breakfast cereals from blends of acha and fermented soybean paste (okara)

Breakfast cereals was formulated from blends of acha and fermented okara (soybean residue). Acha grains were cleaned, winnowed, washed, dried (at 50 °C for 4 h) and milled into flour. Okara was processed from soybean seed through the stepwise procedure of cleaning, soaking, washing, milling and sieving. The residue was divided into five portions, fermented differently for 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 h and then dried at 50 °C for 6 h. Acha flour (UFAC) was milled and blended at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100 % ratio with milled okara flour. Functional properties (bulk density, water absorption capacity, swelling capacity, wettability, viscosity and particle size distribution, microbial load, and proximate composition were carried out on the individual flour samples. The blended flours were conditioned, partially heat treated (for 10 min), aged (4 °C for 6 h), cut, toasted (120 °C for 1 h), cooled and packaged. The different toasted breakfast cereals, TBFC, were subjected to sensory evaluation, proximate composition, micronutrient composition (vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, calcium, iron, phosphorus, and zinc) and microbial analyses (mould count and total viable count). The proximate composition of the unfermented okara (UFOK) and fermented okara (FEOK 1, 2, 3, and 4 fermented at 12, 24, 36, 48 h respectively) flour samples showed that fermentation increased moisture from 4.71 ± 0.06 to 6.11 ± 0.05, crude fibre from 36.62 ± 0.01 to 46.18 ± 0.55, and carbohydrate from 2.50 ± 0.18 to 2.71 ± 0.34 contents. There was a decrease in the fat content from 16.29 ± 0.04 to 13.27 ± 0.22, ash from 1.41 ± 0.17 to 6.36 ± 0.17 and crude protein from 30.32 ± 0.21 to 33.53 ± 0.11 contents. From the sensory evaluation, the result showed that 70:30 acha-unfermented okara TBFC, FEOK 1D 60:40 acha-12 h FEOK TBFC, 70:30 acha-24 h FEOK TBFC, 50:50 acha-36 h FEOK TBFC, and 70:30 acha-48 h FEOK TBFC had the best overall acceptability for the different fermentation times. The functional properties, proximate and sensory evaluation were the basis for selection of the best products which were UFAC (control), UFOK C (70:30 acha UFOK TBFC) and FEOK 4C (70:30 acha 48 h FEOK TBFC) which were further subjected to proximate, micronutrient, and microbial analyses. There was an increase in the protein, fat, ash, crude fibre content whereas the moisture and carbohydrate contents decreased. A considerable decrease was found in vitamin A and B1 contents of the products, whereas vitamin B2 and B3 increased. Also the mineral contents of all the products were improved as indicated in the increase in ash content.

Unidades de alimentação e nutrição nos campi da Universidade Federal da Bahia: um estudo sob a perspectiva do alimento seguro

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as unidades de alimentação e nutrição que funcionam nos campi da Universidade Federal da Bahia, na perspectiva da produção de alimentos seguros. MÉTODOS: Os estabelecimentos foram avaliados pelo uso de um formulário, elaborado com base na legislação vigente e em referencial técnico da área. Das 22 unidades instaladas nos campi, 20 participaram. RESULTADOS: Situações insatisfatórias foram detectadas, como a presença de insetos e roedores, a ausência de controle de qualidade da água, a conservação de alimentos prontos em condições favoráveis ao crescimento de microrganismos e instalações inadequadas ao funcionamento. Ainda que grande parte dos entrevistados relatasse o recebimento de treinamento para manipulação de alimentos e demonstrasse empenho quanto ao desenvolvimento da qualidade dos seus serviços, as deficiências evidentes refletiram negativamente sobre a segurança dos produtos elaborados. CONCLUSÃO: As unidades de alimentação e nutrição avaliadas, em sua maior parte, não atenderam aos requisitos considerados para a produção de alimentos seguros, indicando riscos para os consumidores.

The microbiological quality of washing-up water and the environment in domestic and commercial kitchens

AIMS

To determine the microbiological quality of washing-up water and the environment in domestic and commercial kitchens.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Chicken meals were prepared by people without food safety training in their own kitchen (n = 52) or by trained staff in a commercial kitchen (n = 10). Study participants then washed-up, cleaned the kitchen and completed a food hygiene questionnaire. The temperature and microbiological quality of the washing-up water, and the presence of pathogens in dishcloths, tea towels and other kitchen samples was determined. Of the raw chickens used in meal preparation, 96 and 13% were naturally contaminated with Campylobacter or Salmonella spp., respectively. In domestic kitchens, two of 45 sponges, dishcloths or scourers and one of 32 hand- or tea towels were contaminated with Campylobacter after washing-up and cleaning but none of the tap or sink swabs yielded pathogens. The mean washing-up water temperature in the domestic kitchens was 40.7 degrees C, whereas in the commercial kitchen it was 44.7 degrees C (P = 0.04). Study participants who used hotter water (>/=40 degrees C) had lower levels of bacteria in their washing-up water. The aerobic plate counts of the washing-up water samples in domestic homes were usually between 105 and 106 CFU ml-1 but those associated with the commercial kitchen were consistently lower (P = 0.01). Despite this, Campylobacter was detected in one of 10 washing-up water samples from the commercial kitchen but in none of the samples from domestic kitchens.

CONCLUSIONS

Pathogenic microorganisms can be recovered relatively frequently from the kitchen environment.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY

By identifying factors that affect the number of microorganisms in washing-up water and the kitchen environment, evidence-based recommendations on implementing domestic food hygiene can be made.