{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,9]],"date-time":"2026-01-09T21:34:21Z","timestamp":1767994461050,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"16","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,6]],"date-time":"2021-08-06T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1628208000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Applied Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: A microbiological analysis of samples taken from hands of food handlers and utensils\/crockery in food service units was used to assess the risk of food contamination. We aimed to assess indicators of microbiological contamination in different food service units. Methods: We used data for an official inspection proposal (2018\u20132019) in different food service units serving a district in Northeast Portugal. We showed the proportion of positive samples for each microorganism assessed in samples taken from hands and kitchen utensils\/crockery. Results: Out of 471 samples taken from hands of food handlers, 26.8% (n = 126) were classified as \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d due to the presence of at least Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and\/or total and fecal coliforms. Such a proportion varied according to the type of food service unit with a higher proportion being observed in Canteens (40.0%) and in Retirement Home\/Day Care Centers (37.8%). More than one third of 649 samples taken from kitchen utensils\/crockery were classified as \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d (n = 181; 27.9%) or \u201cbad\u201d (n = 49; 7.6%). There were significant differences in these proportions across food service units, with a higher proportion of \u201cunsatisfactory\u201d samples being observed in Fishmongers and Butcher Shops\/Charcuteries (50.0% and 45.1%, respectively), while a higher proportion of \u201cbad\u201d samples was observed in both Pastry\/Bakery and Fishmonger establishments (33.3%), followed by Butcher Shops\/Charcuteries (14.1%). Conclusions: Our results emphasize the need of awareness of hygiene practices among food handlers of different food service units, particularly in Fishmongers, Pastry\/Bakery establishments and Butcher Shops\/Charcuteries, highlighting the need of a periodic hygienic evaluation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/app11167241","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,6]],"date-time":"2021-08-06T05:22:01Z","timestamp":1628227321000},"page":"7241","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Microbiological Contamination in Different Food Service Units Associated with Food Handling"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"11","author":[{"given":"Ana","family":"Alves","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Cristina","family":"Viveiros","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"given":"J\u00e9ssica","family":"Lopes","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8912-7355","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ant\u00f3nio","family":"Nogueira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-253 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-2718-1297","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bruno","family":"Pires","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Public Health Laboratory of Bragan\u00e7a, Local Health Unit of the Northeast (ULSNE), 5300-146 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8858-1617","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea F.","family":"Afonso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"Public Health Laboratory of Bragan\u00e7a, Local Health Unit of the Northeast (ULSNE), 5300-146 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5194-5141","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cristina","family":"Teixeira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Superior School of Health of Bragan\u00e7a, Polytechnic Institute of Bragan\u00e7a (IPB), 5300-121 Bragan\u00e7a, Portugal"},{"name":"EPIUnit\u2014Instituto de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica, Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,8,6]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Viegas, S. 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