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Food protozoa safety assessment and risk in school restaurants in Armenia, Colombia
Author(s) -
MuñozSánchez Gloria Deicy,
HernándezArango Natalia,
BuitragoLopez Estefanía,
Luna Julio César,
Zamora Alejandro,
LoraSuarez Fabiana,
GómezMarín Jorge Enrique
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of food safety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.427
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1745-4565
pISSN - 0149-6085
DOI - 10.1111/jfs.12714
Subject(s) - blastocystis , cyclospora cayetanensis , cyclospora , cryptosporidium , giardia , protozoa , veterinary medicine , feces , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , medicine
This work assessed the risk of protozoa in 10 school restaurants in Armenia (Quindío, Colombia) by analyzing the presence of Cryptosporidium spp, Giardia duodenalis , Blastocystis , and Cyclospora cayetanensis DNA in the food, water, and living and inert surfaces of school restaurants and in stools of children who ate at these restaurants. Of the 213 food, water, and surface samples, 6.6% were positive using PCR to test DNA for Blastocystis ; 3.8% for Cryptosporidium spp; 0.9% for G. duodenalis ; and 0% for C. cayetanensis . In 187 stool samples analyzed via microscopy from children who attended the restaurants, 40 (21.4%) were positive for Blastocystis and 21 (11.2%) were positive for Giardia spp. Via PCR, 20 (10.7%) were positive for Cryptosporidium and 0 (0%) for C. cayetanensis . A higher positivity in children's stools for Blastocystis spp was correlated with lower compliance in property conditions and for higher positivity of Giardia spp in children's stool was related to lower knowledge by food manipulators. Inspection scores can identify restaurants with higher risk for protozoa infection.