Microbiological evaluation of food contact surfaces in Iowa schools

Abstract

A study of 40 school foodservice operations assessed the effectiveness of cleaning and sanitation of five food contact surfaces, including work tables/counters; cooking equipment such as mixing bowls or steam-jacketed kettles; and serving trays and equipment surfaces that could cross-contaminate food, such as refrigerator or freezer handles and handwashing sink handles. Aerobic plate count (APC). Enterobacteriaceae, and Staphylococcus aureus analyses were conducted for all samples. The following microbial counts were used as standards for cleaned and sanitized food-contact and non food- contact surfaces: APC < 1.3 log(10) CFU. Emeroooaeriaceae count < 1.0 log(10) CFU. and Staphylococcus aureus < 1.0 log(10) CFU per sample. Four facilities met standards for all five surfaces for each of the three tests. Fewer operations met the standard for APC than for the other two tests, and refrigerator or freezer handles failed to meet the standard for APC in nearly two-thirds of the operations. Results suggest that microbial standards for surface sanitation are attainable in schools and that school foodservice employees need to receive training and supervision to ensure proper handwashing and appropriate cleaning and sanitation procedures and to limit cross contamination.