Aspectos higiênico-sanitários no processo produtivo dos alimentos em escolas públicas do Estado de Goiás, Brasil1

Abstract

Objective
This study aimed to monitor the cleanness of public school canteens of Goiás state, investigated during the study “Avaliação e Monitoramento da Qualidade dos Alimentos Oferecidos na Merenda Escolar” (Assessment and Monitoring of School Food Quality), Goiás, done from 2004 to 2007.

Methods
Starting in 2004, a three-stage survey was done in public schools of Goiás. During the first phase, from 2004 to 2005, a checklist was used to assess the cleanness of schools canteens. In the second phase, from 2005 to 2007, interventions were done at the schools to train the relevant personnel. The third phase, done in 2010, consisted of monitoring the 18 school canteens that participated in the first phase using the same checklist to compare the sanitary quality of their meals in the two periods. The study was approved by the Universidade Federal de Goiás Research Ethics Committee.

Results
The study schools complied only in part with the legislation, as the items personal hygiene, facility conditions, equipment and utensils, operational hygiene and processing were inadequate in 44.9% of the school food services investigated from 2004 to 2005 and in 37.1% of the ones investigated during the present study, jeopardizing the sanitary quality of the preparations.

Conclusion
Comparison of the two phases of this investigation showed that only operational hygiene improved. These results reinforce the need of improving the pertinent school facilities and providing periodical training to those involved in food preparation to improve the sanitary quality of school foods.