RESUMO

This paper reports the microbiological quality of ready-to-eat foods served at schools sustained by theNational Scholar Food Supply Program in Salvador (Bahia, Brazil). A cross-sectional study was undertaken in83 municipal and state schools. Ninety-six food samples were collected and analyzed on mesophilic aerobicmicroorganisms counting (AMC), and the Most Probable Number (MPN) of thermotolerant coliforms/Escherichia coli and the occurrence of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus (CPS) were estimated. The AMCranged from 1.0 to 6.27 log CFU/g or mL, being the mean value of 3.2 log CFU/g or mL. Food productspresenting microorganism counts over 5 log CFU/mL or g were found in 10.8% of investigated schools.Thermotolerant coliforms ranged from 0.47 to >3.38 log MPN/g or mL and a mean value of 0.49 logMPN/g or mL. The noncompliant food samples were found in 20.4% of schools, and E. coli was detected in2.4% of those samples. CPS was found in food samples collected from 26.5% of schools. The food samplesserved at state schools showed significantly higher AMC and thermotolerant coliforms counting values(p 0.05) than those from municipal ones. Unsatisfactory microbiological quality in food products servedat a substantial number of the investigated schools was evidenced.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a qualidade microbiológica de alimentos prontos para o consumo,distribuídos em escolas atendidas pelo Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar, em Salvador-BA.Realizou-se um estudo transversal, com a participação de 83 escolas das redes estadual e municipal. Foramcoletadas e analisadas 96 amostras quanto à contagem de micro-organismos aeróbios mesófilos (CAM),estimativa do Número Mais Provável (NMP) de coliformes termotolerantes/ Escherichia coli e pesquisade estafilococos coagulase-positiva (SCP). A CAM variou de 1,0 a 6,3 log UFC/g ou mL, valor médiode 3,2 log UFC/g ou mL; 10,8% das escolas apresentaram alimentos com contagens superiores a 5 logUFC/mL ou g. O NMP de coliformes termotolerantes variou de 0,47 a >3,38 log NMP/g ou mL, valormédio de 0,49 log NMP/g ou mL; 20,4% das escolas apresentaram amostras não-conformes, sendo 2,4%das amostras positivas para E. coli. SCP foi detectado nos alimentos de 26,5% das escolas. Os alimentosservidos na rede estadual apresentaram valores de contaminação por CAM e coliformes termotolerantessignificativamente maiores (p 0,05) quando comparados aos alimentos fornecidos na rede municipal. Osresultados evidenciaram condições microbiológicas insatisfatórias dos alimentos, em parte expressiva dasescolas investigadas, o que indica a necessidade de medidas corretivas.