Determination of the Hygiene Quality of Food Workers, Equipment, Surface Areas, and Ambient Air in Mass Catering Places

Authors : Ahmet Hulusi Dinçoğlu, Zühal Çalışkan, Gizemnur Gürcan

Pages : 31-38

View : 14 | Download : 13

Publication Date : 2025-04-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Aim: The aim of this study is to microbiologically evaluate the hygienic conditions of a mass catering business in Burdur, focusing on personnel, food contact surfaces, and ambient air. Materials and Methods: In the research, various microbiological analyses were performed on samples taken from red, green, and yellow cutting boards, the hands of food preparation personnel, and the ambient air. Results: Staphylococcus/Micrococcus was detected at a 3.33x10² CFU/cm² level on the red cutting board. At the same time, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) and yeast-mold were found at levels of 4.07x10³ CFU/cm² and 3.67x10² CFU/cm², respectively, on the yellow cutting board. Additionally, as a result of the study, the counts of total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, yeast-mold, coliforms, and Staphylococcus/Micrococcus on the hands of the kitchen staff were determined as 3.37x10³ CFU/cm², 5.67x10³ CFU/cm², 4.77x10³ CFU/cm², and 1.3x10³ CFU/cm², respectively. Furthermore, a high level of yeast-mold contamination was identified in the ambient air. These findings indicate significant deficiencies in the hygienic conditions of both the cutting boards and the personnel. Conclusion: In conclusion, the results from this research demonstrate that the presence of microorganisms that should not be found on utensils and other samples from the mass catering business suggests a failure to fully adhere to proper hygienic standards, reflecting poor personnel hygiene. Given that a lack of hygiene poses a potential risk to consumer health, improving hygienic practices and ensuring traceability in mass catering establishments is critical.
Keywords : Gıda güvenliği, Gıda hijyeni, Ortam havası hijyeni, Personel hijyeni, Toplu beslenme sistemleri