Microbial contamination status of student meal in Wenzhou from 2016 to 2020

Abstract

ObjectiveTo provide basis for further ensuring the safety of student meals， the microbial contamination status in kindergarten， primary and secondary school canteens in Wenzhou in the past five years were investigated.MethodsFood samples collected in Wenzhou from 2016 to 2020 were detected for hygienic target bacteria （Aerobic Plate count and Escherichia coli） and foodborne pathogens （Staphylococcus aureus， Bacillus cereus， Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes）， and data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0.ResultsThe microbial contamination of student meal in 2016 was serious， with a unqualified rate as high as 23.58%. While the unqualified rates of student meal decreased by 6.27%， 6.80%， 9.06%， and 3.82% from 2017 to 2020 （χ2 = 60.852， P<0.001）. Escherichia coli contamination was one of the most serious， and its unqualified rates in the past five years showed a downward trend （9.43%， 5.64%， 6.47%， 6.41%， and 1.91%， χ2 = 5.225， P = 0.022）. Except for the higher detection rates of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella in 2016 （7.35% and 9.91%）， the unqualified rates of foodborne pathogens in other years were at a low level. For different types of schools， the unqualified rates of meal samples for kindergarten， primary and secondary school students in Wenzhou from 2016 to 2020 were 10.34%， 12.81%， and 6.90%， respectively， which had significant differences （χ2 = 8.341， P = 0.015）. For different sampling quarters and monitoring points， no significant difference was observed in the overall status of microbial contamination of student meal. Compared with 2016， the risk of microbial contamination of student meal significantly reduced from 2017 to 2020 after adjusting the influencing factors such as the school type， sampling season and location （P<0.01）.ConclusionMicrobial contamination of the student meal in kindergartens， primary and middle schools in Wenzhou was the most serious in 2016， while the hygiene conditions of student meal improved from 2017 to 2020. Foodborne microbial contamination in Wenzhou could potentially threaten student health， which should be monitored to prevent the occurrence of foodborne illness in schools.

Keywords

• student meal
• food microorganism
• food contamination
• hygienic target bacteria
• foodborne pathogens