An eight-year report on the implementation of HACCP in a university canteen: impact on the microbiological quality of meals

Abstract

An investigation aimed at assessing the microbiological quality of meals consumed at a university canteen after implementation of the HACCP system and personnel training was carried out. Cooked and warm-served products (74 samples), cooked and cold-served products (92 samples) and cold gastronomy products (63 samples) sampled from 2000 to 2007 underwent microbiological analyses. All the samples were tested for: Samonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, total mesophilic aerobes, coliforms, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and sulphite-reducing clostridia. The microbiological contamination of work surfaces (tables, tablewares, cutters, ladles, slicing machines, wash-basins, etc.), hands and white coats of members of the canteen staff was also assessed. The microbiological results clearly demonstrated the success of the HACCP plan implementation, through a general improvement of the hygiene conditions of both meals and work surfaces.

Keywords:

• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP)
• University canteen
• food microbiological quality
• surface contamination

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank “Ente Regionale per il diritto allo Studio Universitario” (ERSU) of Ancona (Italy) for the research collaboration.