Influência do grau de implementação de programas de qualidade nas condições higiênico-sanitárias de veículos transportadores e do comércio varejista de leite e derivados

Abstract

Contaminated food is a global public health problem, causing numerous infections and poisoning. Milk and by-products, after industrial processing, are transported, stored, handled, fractionated and offered for sale, subject to different conditions and the risk of cross-contamination. Implementing quality programs in these stages of the production chain is essential for the production of safe food. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the influence of the degree of implementation of the quality programs in the hygienic-sanitary conditions of sectors where the dairy products are handled, stored and exposed for sale in commercial establishments, as well as their transport vehicles. Fifteen commercial establishments located in the region of Campo das Vertentes, Minas Gerais, and 20 vehicles transporting dairy products to these establishments were evaluated. Specific checklists (LVs) were developed for the dairy sectors of commercial establishments and for the vehicles that were applied to obtain observational data concomitantly with the collection of samples and the following microbiological analyzes: Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), coliforms Escherichia coli (E. coli) and aerobic mesophiles for manipulators, contact surfaces and packaging, as well as the analysis of filamentous fungi and yeasts in packaging and environments related to the handling and exposure of dairy products and vehicles. There were positive associations between the best general classifications of LV care in the dairy sectors of the establishments and specific items (8) manipulators and (9) hygiene with better microbiological results of hands and contact surfaces. The evaluation of the environments of the dairy sectors of the commercial establishments and the storage of the vehicles showed that there is no association between the counts of filamentous fungi and yeasts and the degree of implementation of the quality programs. The packages used for fractionated dairy products in the dairy sectors of commercial establishments, in general, also did not present positive associations with the level of attendance of the LV items. The results showed that there are deficiencies related mainly to the control of procedures of hand hygiene, contact surfaces with dairy products and environments, which can lead to cross contamination of the products, interfering with their original quality and endangering health consumers.