Análise microbiológica de fast-foods comercializados em lanchonetes do município de Ceará-Mirim/RN

Abstract

The habit of eating out can expose consumers to the risk of contracting foodborne illnesses; in view of this situation, the present study aimed to carry out a microbiological analysis of the most consumed fast foods such as pastel and coxinha, sold in snack bars in the municipality of Ceará Mirim-RN. The analysis took place on February 23, 2023. Two snack bars were chosen among the most frequented, and, in each location, four snacks were selected, two pastries and two coxinhas, totaling 8 samples. These were transported in isothermal and sterilized packaging, then sent to the Food Microbiology Laboratory of the University Center of Rio Grande do Norte. In which analyzes were carried out for the total count of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, total coliforms and thermotolerant coliforms, according to the Manual of Methods for Microbiological Analysis of Food and Water. In the microbiological analysis for coliforms at location 1, 7.2 MPN/g of coliforms were found in the coxinha and 3.6 MPN/g of coliforms in the pastry, while in establishment 2, 23 MPN/g of coliforms were found in the coxinha and 23 MPN/g of coliforms in the pastel. For mesophilic aerobes, in establishment 1, 8.2 x 10² CFU/g were found in the coxinha and in the pastel 1.1 x 10³ CFU/g of mesophilic aerobes, and in contrast, in site 2, a count of 5.5 was performed x 104 CFU/g for the coxinha and in the analysis of the pastel, 2.2 x 10² CFU/g of aerobic mesophiles were identified. The microbiological limit was verified in accordance with NORMATIVE INSTRUCTION No. 60, OF DECEMBER 23, 2019, and in site 2 the samples were considered unsatisfactory with unacceptable quality for coliforms and acceptable for aerobes in accordance with current legislation, already in the samples collected from site 1 were satisfactory with acceptable quality, as they had an acceptable margin for the microorganism present in the food, however, it is worth noting that the frying process may have corroborated it, given that it is a factor for reducing contamination in the making of the pastry and the drumstick.