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Microbiological contamination of food during preparation and storage is a risk factor in institutional kitchens. In this Belgian study, hygiene practices in 40 institutional kitchens from four public sectors (10 hospitals, 10 schools, 10 retirement homes, and 10 child care centers) were evaluated to determine whether differences in these practices exist between these sectors. Contamination levels were also analyzed at several critical contact points. A data collection instrument and microbiological analysis of hand contact surfaces, food contact surfaces, and kitchen utensils were used. Hand washing resulted in only a slight reduction in total aerobic bacteria counts (TACs), and all microorganisms evaluated except E. coli were still present at countable levels. Enterobacteriaceae were found on one-third of the cleaned cutting boards. Cleaned work surfaces had the highest average TAC of all cleaned surfaces. Only slight improvements in TACs and Enterobacteriaceae and B. cereus counts were observed between used and cleaned work surfaces. The results from the data collection instrument revealed that child care centers had the lowest hygiene scores, whereas the other three sectors were fairly similar, with hospitals scoring highest. The low hygiene score for the child care centers was verified by comparing the results for cleaned surfaces among the sectors. The average TAC on surfaces was highest for child care centers and lowest for hospitals. Child care centers also had the second highest total mean counts and the highest number of total surface samples positive for Enterobacteriaceae. The highest number of surface samples positive for Staphylococcus aureus was also found in child care centers. This study highlights some areas of concern for hygiene improvement in institutional kitchens, differences between public sectors, and similarities in conclusions about hygiene based on the scores from the survey instrument and the results of the microbiological analyses.

In this paper, a novel technique to achieve precise temperatures in food sterilization has been proposed. An accurate temperature profile is needed in order to reach a commitment between the total removal of pathogens inside the product and the preservation of nutritional and organoleptic characteristics. The minimal variation of the target temperature in the sample by means of a monitoring and control software platform, allowing temperature stabilization over 100 °C, is the main goal of this work. A cylindrical microwave oven, under pressure conditions and continuous control of the microwave supply power as function of the final temperature inside the sample, has been designed and developed with conditions of single-mode resonance. The uniform heating in the product is achieved by means of sample movement and the self-regulated power control using the measured temperature. Finally, for testing the sterilization of food with this technology, specific biological validation based on Bacillus cereus as a biosensor of heat inactivation has been incorporated as a distribution along the sample in the experimental process to measure the colony-forming units (CFUs) for different food samples (laboratory medium, soup, or fish-based animal by-products). The obtained results allow the validation of this new technology for food sterilization with precise control of the microwave system to ensure the uniform elimination of pathogens using high temperatures. This work was supported by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under the project with reference DPI2014-61857-EXP.

The current quality assurance and control tools and methods to prevent and/or to control microbiological risks associated with fresh produce are challenged due to the following pressures upon the food supply chain, i.e. changing consumption patterns, globalization and climate change. It demonstrates the need for scientific research and development of new and/or improved tools, techniques and practices to adapt the current risk management systems. In this paper, a conceptual research approach is presented to analyse the complexity of the climate change and globalization challenge on the fresh produce supply chain taken as a case study. The factors which affect the vulnerability of the fresh produce chain demand a multidisciplinary research approach. The proposed knowledge-based modelling system is believed to be a most appropriate way to identify problems and to offer solutions to monitor and prevent microbiological food safety risks during all phases of food production and supply. To explore the potential impact of climate change and globalization, baseline information can be obtained by surveillance and performance measurement of implemented food safety management systems. Simulation of climate change scenarios and the logistic chain of fresh produce, along with mathematical models to optimize packaging technology to maintain quality and safety of fresh produce are tools to provide insights in the complex dynamic ecosystem. They are the basis for elaboration of risk assessment studies to scientifically support management options and decisions to new microbiological threats related to globalization and climate change in the fresh produce supply chain. This research concept as such will contribute to develop strategies in order to guarantee the (microbiological) food safety of fresh produce on the long term.

Management of microbiological food safety is largely based on good design of processes, products and procedures. Finished product testing may be considered as a control measure at the end of the production process. However, testing gives only very limited information on the safety status of a food. If a hazardous organism is found it means something, but absence in a limited number of samples is no guarantee of safety of a whole production batch. Finished product testing is often too little and too late. Therefore most attention should be focussed on management and control of the hazards in a more pro-active way by implementing an effective food safety management system. For verification activities in a food safety management system, finished product testing may however be useful. For three cases studies; canned food, chocolate and cooked ham, the relevance of testing both of finished products and the production environment is discussed. Since the level of control of different processes can be largely different it is beneficial if the frequency of sampling of finished products and production environments would be related to the associated human health risk, which can be assessed on the basis of risk assessment and epidemiological data. Keywords: Sampling; Verification; Microbiological food safety

Mathematical model is the basis for computer decision support system (DSS) connected with food security strategy, in which food irradiation is one of the methods used for elimination of substance with pathogens. Such system can support an organisation of many different activities in the area of food safety. It can be designed for a specific region, country, etc., and is addressed to State Sanitary Inspection offices. The paper demonstrates the capabilities of the system in modeling activities of sanitary inspection teams aimed at pathogen elimination with the use of electron beam irradiation in procedures of utilisation of animal originated food, related packaging, or other microbiologically contaminated materials. It describes new application of both computer supported decision systems and radiation processing. The elaborated mathematical models show human activities in the process of microbiological contamination elimination.