Microbiological quality of food contact surfaces in some selected senior high schools' kitchens in the Bono Region of Ghana

Abstract

A high occurrence of acute infections and chronic sequelae will cost billions of dollars in medical expenses, lost productivity, and repeated recalls if no preventative steps are taken. The main goal of this study is to look into the microbiological quality of food contact surfaces in various Senior High Schools in Ghana's Bono Region specifically to evaluate the microbial load on the food contact surfaces, to classify the microorganisms that live on food surfaces and to to compare the contamination levels in the schools that were chosen. The study used an expe rimental design to test the mic robiological consistency of food touch su rfaces. The schools we re catego rized into th ree g roups: A, B, and C, which se rved as st rata. The study's findings we re quantitatively analyzed. The Food Standa rd Code was used to dete rmine the mic robial quality of food, which was classified as adequate, fine, o r unsatisfacto ry based on the mic robial load. Compa ring Levels of Mic robial Contamination among the selected School Catego ries/Su rface types were analyzed. The la rgest concent ration of colony fo rming units of bacte ria was found on wooden su rfaces of food p rocessing sites (school kitchens), due to gaps on the su rfaces whe re food pa rticles hide and fe rment if not adequately washed.The study revealed that ave ragely E. Coli had the highest microbial count (3.69) followed by Staphylococcus (3.60), and Salmonella (3.41) respectively. Statistically, majo rity of mic roo rganisms were found on wooden su rfaces (4.05 log10 cfu/g),followed by i ron and plastic su rfaces which we re almost identical (3.73 log10 cfu/g and 3.71 log10 cfu/g, averagely), while the kitchen staff's hands had the lowest count of 2.77 log10 cfu/g.Total Viable Count (TVC) and Total Colifo rm Counts (TCC) we re highest in Catego ry C schools with an average values of 4.33 and 3.34 log10 cfu) , indicating poor sanitation and the p revalence of mic roo rganisms on food se rved in dining halls. It is recommended that, school administ ration should establish functional school health sanitation committees to supe rvise and repo rt issues relating to food safety and hygiene p ractices in the schools' kitchens in o rde r to p romote good envi ronmental cleanliness and pe rsonal hygiene.