A questão da segurança alimentar vem ganhando atenção global face as milhões de vítimas de doenças transmitidas pelos alimentos. Mudanças demográficas, econômicas e sociais têm provocado transformações nas sociedades que resultam em maiores riscos à saúde pública. A difusão do comércio de alimento de rua, principalmente nos grandes centros urbanos, pode ser considerada um forte reflexo dessas mudanças. Os bentôs constituem um lanche ou refeição pronta para consumo, considerado o primeiro alimento de rua no Japão, há mais de um século. Em vista das características de comercialização e dos alimentos envolvidos questionou-se a qualidade microbiológica e nutritiva de bentôs comercializados no bairro oriental em São Paulo. Foram analisadas 60 amostras coletadas durante a primavera e o verão e classificadas segundo seu risco epidemiológico. A composição variou de preparações à base de pescado cru às refeições completas. Fez-se a determinação de macronutrientes e a pesquisa de microrganismos indicadores, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus e Salmonella spp. O valor nutritivo oscilou bastante, sendo a proporção média em relação ao valor energético total igual a 16% de proteína, 19% de lipídeos e 65% de carboidratos. O valor energético das porções variou de 136 a 885Cal. 65% das amostras foram observadas em condições higiênicas insatisfatórias. Dentre as bactérias patogênicas, B. cereus apresentou o maior risco percentual, sendo que 40% das amostras estavam fora dos padrões considerados seguros. Não houve diferença estatística na contagem microbiana em relação à época de coleta ou ao tipo de amostra. A constatação de que 73,3% das amostras encontravam-se impróprias para consumo pode se agravar, em vista das características intrínsecas e de conservação observadas. O consumo de bentôs representa um perigo potencial à saúde, sendo necessários maiores investimentos em educação em saúde a todos os envolvidos na cadeia alimentar, incluindo os consumidores, como uma forma efetiva de inibir os riscos à saúde pública. / Food safety has become one of the biggest concerns to public health authorities, in view of the millions of victims of foodborne diseases world spread. Face to the social and economical changes in the societies, the public health risks are arising. As a reflex, the popularity of street food commerce exposes the consumers\' health to other threats. Bento is an ancient Japanese tradition of bringing ready-to-eat meals wherever you are, which surpassed the modem way of life and is still a convenience way to have a fast meal. But face to the trading features and composition its quality is doubtful. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional and microbiological qualities of bentos sold at the oriental district, in São Paulo. Sixty samples were purchased during spring and summer seasons from 17 points of sale and they were classified according to their epidemiological risk. The macronutrients were determined and the sanitary conditions were evaluated through the research of coliform organisms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Salmonella spp. The samples composition ranged from raw fish to :full course meals. The nutritive value presented a large variation and the average proportions of macronutrients in relation to the total energy value was 16% of protein, 19% of lipids and 65% of carbohydrates. The portion energy value ranged from 136 to 885Cal. B. cereus posed the greatest percentage risk of contamination, among the pathogens. The hygienic conditions of the bentos were critical in 65% of the samples. No statistical difference was observed in the microbiological counts related to the sample collection season or its sort. In general, 73.3% of the samples were unsuitable for consumption and considering the time-temperature abuse such proportion can reach higher degrees. The consumption of bentos poses a potential health hazard, showing to be necessary greater investments in health education for every sector of the food chain, including the consumers, as an effective way of inhibiting the risks to public health.

Dentre os perigos relacionados com a produção de café verde, a ocratoxina A (OTA) é considerada significativa nesse produto. Com o objetivo de estudar a origem da OTA no processamento de café verde e avaliar os possíveis fatores de risco (região, etapas do processamento, fungos, insetos e ácaros) que poderiam contribuir na presença de OTA, foram amostradas três fazendas nos seguintes municípios: Bom Jardim (RJ), Espírito Santo do Pinhal (SP) e Cornélio Procópio (PR), onde havia a produção de café verde pela via seca e úmida. Foram coletadas 109 amostras de grãos de café, em diversas etapas do processamento, no período de maio a agosto de 2002. As amostras foram colhidas de acordo com fluxograma estabelecido e as etapas estudadas foram: cereja (campo), via seca, via úmida, armazém e café de varrição. Dessas amostras, 10 apresentaram OTA, que variou na sua quantificação de 3 a 101 ng.g-1. A maior prevalência de OTA foi a do café de varrição 57%, a via úmida apresentou uma prevalência de 10,3% e a via seca 7%. Na etapa cereja o fungo potencialmente toxigênico mais encontrado foi Penicillium spp, e quanto aos insetos, as larvas de Diptera e os Homoptera; na via úmida foram encontradas linhagens do Aspergillus seção Nigri e Circundatti e Penicillium spp, a infestação predominante foi a broca do café e os ácaros da família Acaridae; na etapa via seca registrou-se o isolamento de fungos do gênero Penicillium spp e Aspergillus seção Nigri , a broca do café foi a infestação predominante junto com os ácaros da família Acaridae, na etapa de armazém foram isolados Penicillium spp e Aspergillus seção Nigri, o inseto predominante foi a broca do café e os ácaros da família Acaridae; no café de varrição foram isolados Penicillium spp e Aspergillus seção Nigri e a broca do café estava presente junto com insetos da Ordem Diptera. Os resultados de cada etapa foram comparados por Análise de Variância em um nível de significância de 95%. Na análise de fatores de risco o café de varrição foi o mais significativo (p< 0,001). / The ochratoxin A (OTA) is considered to be among the most significant coffee contaminants with related hazards. With the purpose to study the origin of the OTA in the processing of green coffee and to evaluate the possible risk factors (region, step of processing, fungi, insects and mites) that could contribute in the OTA presence, had been selected three regions (states) of Brazil: Bom Jardim/RJ, Espírito Santo do Pinhal/SP and Cornélio Procópio/PR. A total of 109 samples of coffee beans were collected in conformity with flow chart established at different stages of ripening and processing: cherry (field), dry method, wet method, and warehouse and varrição coffee, from May to August of 2002. Of these samples 10 had presented OTA, which varied in its quantification from 3 to 101 ng.g-1. The biggest prevalence of OTA was the varrição coffee 57%, the wet method presented a prevalence of 10,3% and dry way 7%. In the stage cherry fungi potentially toxigenic was more found Penicillium spp, the insects had been the larvae of Diptera and the Homoptera; in the wet way it was found Aspergillus section Nigri and Circundatti and Penicillium spp, the predominant infestation was the coffee berry borer and the mite of the Acaridae family; in the stage wet methods spp was registered the isolation the Penicillium spp and Aspergillus section Nigri, the predominant infestation was the coffee berry borer together with the mites of the Acaridae family; in the stage of warehouse had been isolated Penicillium spp and Aspergillus section Nigri, and the predominant insect was the coffee berry borer and mites of the family Acaridae; in the varrição coffee had been isolated Penicillium spp and Aspergillus section Nigri the coffee berry borer was the most present insects together of Diptera. The results of each step had been with compared by Analysis of Variance. In the analysis of risk factors the varrição coffee\" was the factor most strongly related to the risk of the presence of OTA (p<0,001 ).

Food is one of the main routes by which xenobiotic (synthetic) chemicals enter the body of man and wildlife. The routes could be from wrappers in which the foods are presented with possible transfer of the compounds to consumers, hence need for regular screening. The research work is aimed at investigating possible prevalence of phthalate esters in selected foods (cheese, polony and vienna) and their plastic wrappers from commercial stores in Tshwane metropolis. Food samples were purchased from selected stores, taken to the laboratory and stored at 4oC until analysed. Analysis was done by soxhlet extraction while determination and quantification of phthalates was carried out using Gas Chromatography-Flame Ionization Detection (GC-FID). Quality assurance of the process was by standard addition of the phthalate ester standards. Results obtained revealed good chromatographic separation of the analysed esters which ranged from 5.55 min for Dimethyl phthalate (DMP) to 8.96 min for Benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP). Instrumental detection limit of the esters varied from 0.03 - 0.05 μg/kg. The percentage recovery of the phthalate esters ranged from 75 – 90% from spiked cheese samples; 33 – 66% from spiked polony samples and 69 – 99% from spiked vienna samples. These recoveries are quite acceptable and applicable to the analysis and quantification of the compounds in the samples with the exception of Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (33%); DMP (34%) and BBP (46 %) in polony samples. Results from chromatographic quantification revealed the absence of or non-detection of most of the analysed phthalate esters in the selected food samples. However, level of 0.031 μg/kg of BBP - 0.816 μg/kg of DMP were obtained in some of the analysed samples. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

No description available.

Foodborne diseases are a major challenge to school feeding programmes because inadequate food safety knowledge and skills of staff can result in unsafe food handling practices and cross-contamination, thus causing foodborne disease outbreaks. The aim of this study was to investigate the food safety and quality assurance measures of the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. The research design was cross-sectional quantitative in nature. A total of 300 NSNP food service managers/coordinators and 440 food handlers were selected to participate in the study. Data collection was by means of a selfadministered structured questionnaire and 192 food contact surface swap samples from 32 primary and secondary public schools.The majority of schools offering NSNP meals were located in informal settlements and most were found to lack basic resources such as electricity and potable tap water in their kitchens. 93% of food handlers did not know about Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP). The NSNP food service managers in some schools, especially in schools located in rural settlements, were found to have little knowledge or awareness of HACCP. No school was found to have implemented the HACCP, and only a few staff had received food safety training. Inadequate food safety knowledge was worst in schools located in informal settlements due to a lack of training. Up to 60% of food handlers did not know the correct procedure for washing a cutting board after it had been used. In addition, just over 95% of the food handlers did not know how to sanitise utensils and cutting surfaces after cutting up raw meat. The lack of hygiene was confirmed by the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, E.coli 015:H7, Salmonella and Shigella species on food contact surfaces. A total of 22 different bacteria genera were identified. It is essential to monitor NSNP kitchen hygiene practice to ensure the minimal contamination of food products and newly recruited food handlers should be trained on food handling practice and principles to ensure the safety of prepared food for school children. / Health Studies / D. Phil. (Consumer Science)