Assessment of the Microbiological Quality of Food Contact Surfaces in Collective Catering in Central Morocco

Abstract

Background: Food safety is a global concern due to the rise in foodborne diseases, with contamination of food contact surfaces being a significant factor. This study aimed to assess the hygienic conditions and bacteriological contamination levels on food contact surfaces in collective catering in Central Morocco.Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted across six restaurants. A total of 186 swab samples were taken from 17 types of food contact surfaces, including cutting boards, serving tables, knives, sinks, plates, and other utensils. The samples were taken according to ISO 18593:2018 and analyzed using selected culture media for aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMC), Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas spp, as well as the presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. The surfaces were classified based on compliance with hygiene standards.Results: Sixty-seven samples (36%) exhibited more than 2.70 log10CFU/cm², indicating non-compliance with hygiene standards. Raw meat cutting boards, sinks, and salad preparation containers were identified as the most contaminated food contact surfaces, with non-compliance rates of 83.3%, 58.3%, and 54.2%, respectively. In contrast, glasses, plates, and baking worktops were the least contaminated, with compliance rates of 77.8%, 72.8%, and 66.7%, respectively. The isolated bacteria were Coagulasenegative staphylococci (28.5%), Escherichia coli (18,8%), S. aureus (7.5%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (4.8%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (1.6%), E. faecalis (1.6%), Proteus mirabilis (1%), and Salmonella spp. (0.5%). No Listeria spp. contamination was detected. The mean levels of aerobic mesophilic bacteria, S. aureus, and Enterobacteriaceae ranged from 1.59 log10CFU/ cm² to 3.93 log10CFU/cm², 0 log10CFU/cm² to 1.49 log10CFU/cm², and between 1.55 and 4.34 log10CFU/cm², respectively.Conclusion: This initial assessment of collective restaurants in Fez provides baseline data on environmentally hazardous microbes and will help food safety managers better implement effective control measures top revent contamination and safeguard public health.

Keywords

• food safety
• bacterial load
• restaurant
• food contact surfaces
• hygiene