Microbial Risk Analysis of Cooked Foods Donated to Foodbank(I)

Park, Hyung Soo; Ryu, Kyung

Abstract

To ensure the microbiological safety of food items prepared after cooking process, this study was aimed to identify the hazards related with cooked foods donated to foodbanks through quantitative microbial analysis. Five foodbanks located in Incheon and Gyeonggi area among government-dominant foodbanks were surveyed from February to June, 2007. Manager, recipient, donator, type and quantity of donated food, and facility and equipment were examined for the general characteristics of foodbank. The time and temperature of food and environment were measured at steps from after-production to before-distribution, and the microbial analysis was performed mainly with indicator organism and major pathogens. The amount of cooked foods donated to each foodbank was about 20 to 30 servings and consisted of 80% of total donated foods. Only three foodbanks had separate offices for foodbank operation and four institutions had at least one temperature-controlled vehicle. The flow of donated foods was gone through the steps; production, meal service and holding at donator, collection by foodbank, transport (or holding after transport) and distribution to recipients. It took about 3.8 to 6.5 hours at room temperature from after-production to beforedistribution. Only aerobic plate counts (APC) and coliforms were found in microbial analysis. The APC after production were relatively high in 8.2 x 10(5), 7.4 x 10(5), 6.9 x 10(5) and 4.2 x 10(5) CFU/g while 2.8 x 10(6), 9.4 x 10(5), 1.0 x 10(6) and 5.4 x 10(5) CFU/g before distribution in mixed Pimpinella brachycarpa, mixed chard, mixed amaranth and mixed spinach, respectively. The levels of coliforms in mixed chard and mixed spinach were complied with the standards of the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Management. The level of APC in boiled pork was increased from < 1.0 x 10 CFU/g to 4.0 x 10(2) CFU/g. One of delivery vessels was shown 6.2 x 10(3)CFU/100 cm2 in APC, which was over the standards for environment. One of serving tables also showed the high level of 1.2 x 10(3) CFU/100 cm2 in APC and 6.6 x 10(2) CFU/100 cm2 in coliforms. These results suggest the sanitary management of holding at donator and the time-temperature control are key factors to ensure the safety of cooked foods donated to foodbank.