Microbiological contamination of surfaces in fish industry

Three hundred and forty (340) samples of surfaces from equipment (skinning machines), utensils (polyethylene cutting boards, polypropylene cases, baskets, and trays, plastic material used to cover the trays, packaging tanks, knives, and stainless steel sorting and packaging tables), and gloves used by handlers in fish industries, collected with swabs in August 2010 and August 2011, were evaluated. In each period, five different collections were made on different days in both the early morning and early afternoon. Counts of aerobic mesophiles and total coliforms were performed and the presence of thermotolerant coliforms was investigated. All samples collected in the afternoon shift, in either collection periods, showed significantly higher contamination by aerobic mesophiles compared to the morning shift (p<0.05). 50.0 and 81.8% of the equipment and utensils analyzed in the first and second collection, respectively, were within the recommendations by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regardless of the work shift. The gloves in the first collection period had aerobic mesophile count above 4 log UFC/glove in 76.7% of the samples and in only 21.7% in the second collection. Although surface contamination decreased, corrective measures still must be enforced and the employees must be oriented regarding the importance of hygienization.