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http://dx.doi.org/10.14373/JKDA.2022.28.3.205

Microbiological Contamination Assessment of School Cafeterias in the Gyeongnam Area: Investigation of the Status of Hygiene Management since COVID-19  

Son, Yu Jin (Major in Nutrition Education, Graduate School of Education, Gyeongsang National University)
Nam, Su Jin (Dept. of Food Nutrition Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Lee, Seung Hun (Dept. of Food Nutrition Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Kim, Dong Woo (Dept. of Food Nutrition Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Shin, Seung Ho (Dept. of Food Nutrition Science, Gyeongsang National University)
Koo, Ok Kyung (Dept. of Food Science and Technology, Chungnam National University)
Publication Information
Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association / v.28, no.3, 2022 , pp. 205-217 More about this Journal
Abstract
School meals are prepared based using the HACCP system, which is designed to ensure the physical and mental health of students. However, operational recommendations in school cafeterias have changed due to COVID-19 and include delays in serving time to restrict the number of meals and the installation of screens to prevent droplet transmission. Unfortunately, these changes may have detrimentally affected hygiene practices and generated new food poisoning sources. This study aimed to determine the hygiene state of school cafeterias in the Gyeongnam area from December 2020 to September 2021 based on the monitoring of total aerobic and coliform bacteria. Kitchen floors were the most contaminated areas with an average number of total aerobic bacteria of 4.3 log CFU/100 cm2, whereas counts in dining areas were relatively low at 0.1~3.5 log CFU/100 cm2. Newly installed partitioned areas had the lowest contamination level of 0.1~2.8 log CFU/100 cm2. Escherichia coli was not detected on any surface, while coliform was detected on workbenches and floors. In conclusion, hygienic practices appear to have been adequately managed in school cafeterias despite COVID-19 driven changes. Nonetheless, continuous monitoring is recommended to ensure prompt response to changing environments.
Keywords
school cafeteria; food-contact surfaces; total aerobic bacteria; coliform; COVID-19;
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Times Cited By KSCI : 3  (Citation Analysis)
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