Avaliação e determinação de coliformes em hortaliças minimamente processadas comercializadas em Recife – PE

Abstract

Healthy and balanced nutrition is a way of disease prevention and essential for health promotion. Intake of unsafe food containing bacteria, viruses, parasites or harmful chemicals can be fatal. The present study aimed to evaluate and determine the presence of total and thermotolerant coliforms in twenty samples of minimally processed vegetables commercialized ready for consumption in food services of the city of Recife. The samples were analyzed according to the methodology of determination of the Most Likely Number of total and thermotolerant coliforms. The results showed that 30% (six) of the samples presented values higher than the limit established by the legislation for the test of thermotolerant coliforms. Therefore, the implantation and the persistent monitoring of good agricultural and manufacturing practices adopted to minimize the risks of microbial contamination in these foods is important, in order to offer safe food to its consumers