Isolation of Pathogenic Microorganisms From Hands of Food Handlers in Institute of Management and Technology School Canteens
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of the project is to isolate and determine microorganisms from the hands of food handlers in Institute of Management and Technology school canteen.
In addition, to bring to the awareness of the food handlers the importance of personal hygiene.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Data on risk factor for food borne diseases indicate that the majority of outbreak results from faulty food handling practice (Clayton et al, 2002). In an era of frequently travel, safe food handling are imperative given the potential for widespread outbreaks of food borne illness (Lynch et al, 2003). Lacking personal hygiene among food handlers is one of the most commonly reported practices contributing to food borne illness and poor personal hygiene is also a significant contributory factor (Cogan et al, 2002). In most countries, food borne diseases remain a public health predicament in spite of the improvement in hygiene standards, improved food processing practices, education of food handlers and consumer awareness (Cogan et al, 2002).
The hands of food handlers can be pivotal as vectors in the spread of food borne diseases due to poor personal hygiene or cross contamination (Huss, 1997). According to Montville, Chan and Schaffness there is evidence from the food industry to show that microorganisms are transferred to the hands in the process of handling food and through poor personal hygiene after visiting the lavatory, resulting in the hands being heavily contaminated with enteric pathogens. The transmission of enteric-related pathogenic microorganisms via the hands of food handlers thus continues to be a problem in the industry (Barza, 2004). Hand washing a simple and effective way to cut down on cross contamination is all too often forgotten (Rippel, 2002). It was reported that 42% of food-borne outbreaks which took place from 1975-1998 in the United States of America had been caused by the hands of food handlers (Rippel, 2002).
The risk of food-borne illness due to contacts with hands or surfaces depends on both the level of contamination as well as the probability to transfer and the importance of contaminated surfaces in relation to potential transmission of pathogens to food is apparent in food processing (Den Aantrekker, 2003). Several studies have indicated that various bacteria amongst others Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp, survive on hands and surfaces for hours or even days after initial contact with the microorganisms (Jiang and Doyle, 1997). These microbiotas have been associated with food-borne illness and even death to many people each year at immeasurable economic cost and human suffering. (Jiang and Doyle, 1999).
A microbial indicator is a microorganism or group of micro organisms that is indicative of the possible presence of pathogens and the detection and enumeration of indicator organisms are widely used to access the efficacy of sanitation programs (Ingham et al, 2002). Indicator organisms are associated with hygiene practices include among others total viable counts, total coliforms, E.coli members of the family Enterobacteriacea and S.aureus (Department of Health, 2000). The study was aimed at investigating the occurrence of indicator organisms on the hands of food handlers in a retail group and to determine the relationship between the occurrence of organisms on the hands and on aprons, because the retail groups studied have not yet implemented a hygiene management system such as HACCP. Food handlers have not yet received adequate training on how hand hygiene would fit into a HACCP daily routine.
CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHOD
MATERIALS USED (See appendix)
SAMPLING PROTOCOL
Samples from 10 food handler’s hands index finger, thumb and palms of both the left and the right hands were collected from randomly selected outlets comprised of food sellers in the campus. The samples were collected during working hours (week days between 10:00am-2:00pm) without previous notification of the date or the time of the survey. Each person was swabbed with four sterile swab stick a total of 40 samples were collected from the hands of the food handlers during the serving of ready-to-eat-food. The collected samples were stored and transported prior to analysis.
SAMPLE COLLECTION
Convectional methods using swabbing are the oldest and most widely used methods for the microbiological examination of surfaces in the food industry including hospitals and restaurants. (Jay 1992). By the use of sterile swab of cotton wool the palm of the was swabbed and the bacteria now on the swab were transferred to the already prepared plates and incubated for 24-48 hours at 35oc.
STERILIZATION OF GLASSWARES
All glassware’s were sterilized by autoclaving at 121oc for 15 minutes prior to washing with detergent and rinsing with clean tap running water.
CHAPTER FOUR
RESULT
Average bacteria counts from the media for each sample collected were used to calculate the overall hygiene quality indices indicative for the clearing and disinfection efficacy for the institute of Management and Technology canteen. Table 1 was used to calculate the scores. The overall hygiene indices were calculated using the formula below.
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION
In this research work, all the palm swabs harbored E.coli, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella with high quality index characterized by high number of 80%, 55%, 80% and 50% while shigella occurred with high quality index and is characterized by a low number of 40%.
However, the pathogens isolated in this present study are similar to microorganisms reported by Bankole et al (2004, 2005) and Okonkwo et al (2005). In a similar study where all the palms of food vendors and hotel operators harbored Staphylococcus aureus, hotel operators among food vendors sampled were reported to have harbored the least types of microorganisms (Olawale et al, 2005) reported nine bacterial genera two fungi in a similar study.
Table 2 shows the quality indices for the hand swabs are very low which characterized by high number and many primary contaminant bacteria as a result of poor hygiene practice (Fraizer and Weshoff, 1988). For proper handling of food it is required that palms of kitchen personnel should be given special attention of through and regular cleaning as soon as possible after daily work. E.coli and Staphylococcus isolated from the hand swabs of the kitchen personnel is an evidence of cross contamination.
The presence of indicator and other organisms examined in this study is of special concern and perhaps the greatest danger associated with water for food processing or drinking purpose (Edema et al, 2001; Okonkwo et al, 2008).
Isolation of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella spp in this study is of practical impact. It is evidence of poor quality conditions and lack of inadequate portable water (Edema et al, 2001).
According to Moyo and Baudi,(2004) the presence of Coliform and E.coli in food may indicate feacal contaminate which could be due to insufficient cooking, cross contamination and contaminated ingredient or possibly from the kitchen personnel.
Table 3 shows that a high fraction of the personnel hand were contaminated by E.coli, Staphylococcus aureus even though the through the source of contamination was not determined they are highly indicative of adequate hand sanitations (Okonkwo et al, 2008). The staphylococcus spp and streptococcus isolated although are normal commensal on humans reflect improper hygiene practice such as pocking finger into the nose (Bean et al, 1990).
The pie chart shows the distribution of the bacterial isolates shigella and salmonella, which are isolated in this study, could be as a result of the dirty water used for washing the palm.
RECOMMENDATION
It was observed that there was no hand sanitizer (soap or otherwise) at each of the hand wash basin for the serving personnel to wash their hands after using the toilet or handling raw materials/foods such as meat. A common practice is to dry their hands after washing with apron those garments could then serve as source of further contamination this was also reported in a similar study by Moyo and Baudi (2004) in a similar study.
These are possible preventive measures
- Food handlers must maintain high personal hygiene including washing of their hands, apron and hand towels.
- Food handlers with skin infection or lesions and cuts on their hands should not work in food canteen, restaurants and food preparation area.
- Payment section should be different from food collection/service section.
PROPER HAND WASHING PROCEDURE INCLUDE
- Wet hands with warm water and apply enough soap to attain a good lather.
- Wash the palms and the back of your hands, wrist between the fingers and under the finger nails, washing for at least 20 seconds is necessary.
- A second hand washing could be beneficial especially after completing a dirty job.
- Dry hands with disposable paper towel; use the paper towel to shut off the water. (Bryan and Frank L, 1982).
CONCLUSION
Conclusively with regards to the high quantity of pathogenic microorganisms isolated, it is thus regarded that cleanliness of food contact surfaces as well as personal hygiene, which include proper hand washing procedure of the kitchen personnel, critical to food safety and the prevention of cross contamination. This emphasizes the importance of adequate cleanliness and sanitation.
REFERENCES
- Adler, K. (1999). Recommendation on bare-hand contact with ready to eat foods by micro committee, Journal of food chemistry, 41 (33): 9.
- Barza, M (2004). Efficacy and Tolerability of Cl02 generating gloves, Clinical Infections Diseases, New York Macmillan Publishing Co. Inc, 857-863.
- Bean, N. Griffin, DM Gluiding J.S and Ivey C.B, (1990). Food borne disease outbreak, Five Years Summary United Kingdom Cambridge University press, 53: 711.
- Brady, G.(2000). The assessment of the public health risk associated with the simultaneous handlings of food and money in the food and money in the food industry. United Kingdom Oxford University Press, 615-620.
- Brady, M. and Frank L. (1982). Diseases transmitted by food. U.S Department of health services centre for disease control Atlanta G. A 1982-1985.
- CAC (Codex Alimentarius Commission). (1997). Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). System and guidelines for its application Codex Application Commission CAC/RCP 1960-1969.
