Evaluación del cumplimiento de las normas básicas de inocuidad alimentaria en los espacios físicos destinados para preparación y consumo de alimentos en los campus de la Universidad de Cuenca

Abstract

The bars and restaurants of the University of Cuenca are a meeting point for the university community. Ensuring that these spaces prepare and sell safe food is an important pillar of the ̈Cuenca Ciudad Universitaria ̈ initiative. The objective of this study was to analyze compliance with basic food safety standards in eight bars and restaurants for the preparation and consumption of food on the campus of the University of Cuenca. A checklist of Good Manufacturing Practices was applied in each of the bars and restaurants and a microbiological control of total coliforms and Escherichia coli was carried out on 10 inert surfaces in contact with food for each of the bars, according to ministerial resolution No. 461-2007/MINSA (Technical Guidance for the microbiological testing on surfaces in contact with food and drink - Peruvian Standard). The results obtained indicated that compliance with GMP in the bars and restaurants of the University of Cuenca was 77,4% ± 10,3 (95% IC: 68,8 - 86,0). 63,8% of surfaces analyzed complies with the permissible limits for total coliforms, while none of the surfaces exceeded the permissible limit for E.coli. These results correspond to the fact that five of the eight bars and restaurants analyzed present compliance with basic food safety standards of around 75%. In conclusion, this evaluation of degree of compliance with basic food safety standards highlights the biological risk present in the inert surfaces analyzed, therefore, it is recommended to standardize cleaning and disinfection processes in the bars and restaurants evaluated.