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The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka

Background : A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to-eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka from February 2008 till May 2008 in collaboration with the Food Safety and Quality Unit and District Health Offices in Melaka Ten...

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Main Authors: Zaid K,, Jamal HH,
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Department Of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2011
Subjects:
R Medicine (General)
Online Access:http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/1/Vol17%281%29-Zaid.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/
http://www.communityhealthjournal.org/
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spelling my-ukm.journal.24322016-12-14T06:31:36Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/ The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka Zaid K, Jamal HH, R Medicine (General) Background : A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to-eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka from February 2008 till May 2008 in collaboration with the Food Safety and Quality Unit and District Health Offices in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin. Methods : A purposive sampling of 101 food premises was carried out and 202 ready- to-eat food samples were collected and analysed microbiologically using standard methods. A total of 202 food handlers were randomly selected for questionnaire interview while rectal and nasal swabs were taken from them to determine their healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria. Results : Results showed that the overall prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to-eat food was 35.1%, while prevalence by type of food was 42.0% for main dishes and 9.8% for staple food. The majority of the contaminations were due to coliforms (14.9%), total plate counts (12.4%) and Staphylococcus aureus (3.5%). The mean score for food premise inspection was 77.21 ± 10.32 and the prevalence of healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria among the food handlers was 15.8%. The level of food handling practices among food handlers was influenced by sex (p=0.012) and formal training on food handling courses (p=0.009). There was a significant negative correlation between age and level of food handling practices among the food handlers (r = -0.163; p = 0.02). Poor food handling practices (p=0.02) and poor hygiene status among the food handlers (p<0.01) were factors that influenced microbiological contamination of food samples. A logistic regression analysis showed that poor food handling practices (Odds ratio=3.50; 95% CI=1.35-9.06) and poor hygiene status among food handlers (Odds ratio=13.16; CI=3.65-47.44) were significantly associated with healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria. Conclusion : Poor food handling practices and poor hygiene status among food handlers were factors that influenced microbiological contamination of ready-to-eat food as well as healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria. Department Of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia 2011-07-15 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/1/Vol17%281%29-Zaid.pdf Zaid K, and Jamal HH, (2011) The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka. Jurnal Kesihatan Masyarakat, 17 (1). pp. 64-73. ISSN 1675-1663 http://www.communityhealthjournal.org/
institution Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
building Perpustakaan Tun Sri Lanang Library
collection Institutional Repository
continent Asia
country Malaysia
content_provider Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
content_source UKM Journal Article Repository
url_provider http://journalarticle.ukm.my/
language English
topic R Medicine (General)
spellingShingle R Medicine (General)
Zaid K,
Jamal HH,
The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
description Background : A cross sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to-eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka from February 2008 till May 2008 in collaboration with the Food Safety and Quality Unit and District Health Offices in Melaka Tengah, Alor Gajah and Jasin. Methods : A purposive sampling of 101 food premises was carried out and 202 ready- to-eat food samples were collected and analysed microbiologically using standard methods. A total of 202 food handlers were randomly selected for questionnaire interview while rectal and nasal swabs were taken from them to determine their healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria. Results : Results showed that the overall prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to-eat food was 35.1%, while prevalence by type of food was 42.0% for main dishes and 9.8% for staple food. The majority of the contaminations were due to coliforms (14.9%), total plate counts (12.4%) and Staphylococcus aureus (3.5%). The mean score for food premise inspection was 77.21 ± 10.32 and the prevalence of healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria among the food handlers was 15.8%. The level of food handling practices among food handlers was influenced by sex (p=0.012) and formal training on food handling courses (p=0.009). There was a significant negative correlation between age and level of food handling practices among the food handlers (r = -0.163; p = 0.02). Poor food handling practices (p=0.02) and poor hygiene status among the food handlers (p<0.01) were factors that influenced microbiological contamination of food samples. A logistic regression analysis showed that poor food handling practices (Odds ratio=3.50; 95% CI=1.35-9.06) and poor hygiene status among food handlers (Odds ratio=13.16; CI=3.65-47.44) were significantly associated with healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria. Conclusion : Poor food handling practices and poor hygiene status among food handlers were factors that influenced microbiological contamination of ready-to-eat food as well as healthy carrier status of pathogenic food bacteria.
format Article
author Zaid K,
Jamal HH,
author_facet Zaid K,
Jamal HH,
author_sort Zaid K,
title The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
title_short The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
title_full The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
title_fullStr The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
title_full_unstemmed The prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in Melaka
title_sort prevalence of microbiological contamination in ready- to- eat food and factors affecting it in melaka
publisher Department Of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
publishDate 2011
url http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/1/Vol17%281%29-Zaid.pdf
http://journalarticle.ukm.my/2432/
http://www.communityhealthjournal.org/
_version_ 1643735374849114112
score 13.211869

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