0319/2008 - CONTAMINATION BY BACILLUS CEREUS ON EQUIPMENT AND UTENSIL SURFACES AT A FOOD SERVICE
CONTAMINAÇÃO POR BACILLUS CEREUS EM SUPERFÍCIES DE EQUIPAMENTOS E UTENSÍLIOS EM UNIDADE DE ALIMENTAÇÃO E NUTRIÇÃO
Author:
• Renata Aparecida Mendes (1) - Mendes, R.A. - Universidade Federal de Viçosa- UFV - <aicoelho@ufv.br>Thematic Area:
Não CategorizadoAbstract:
The confirmation that the microorganism Bacillus cereus presents a special problem in food processing plants, such as university cafeterias, led to the development of this work, aiming to evaluate the risks consumers are exposed to, by identifying the contamination points from where the microorganism can be transferred into food. The presence of B. cereus was detected on 38,3% of the equipments and utensils studied. Counts up to 5,7x10 2 CFU/cm2 were found, with the highest values being obtained in samples from the distribution sector, indicating that these areas play an important role as potential sources of microorganism transmission into food.Key words: Bacillus cereus, equipments, utensils, surface contamination, food service.