Abstract

SERNA-COCK, Liliana; CORREA-GOMEZ, Maria D.C.  and  AYALA-APONTE, Alfredo A. A sanitation plan for a food distributor attending children and the elderly. Rev. salud pública [online]. 2009, vol.11, n.5, pp. 811-818. ISSN 0124-0064.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0124-00642009000500014.

The responsibility for providing healthy food involves all members of the production chain from input supplier to the distributor and consumer of food. Children and older adults represent the most vulnerable consumers for acquiring food-borne illness (FBI), meaning that the risk factors produced in food-processing targeted for this population group must be reduced. A clean-up plan was thus designed and implemented following the guideline laid down in decree 3075/1997 to reduce FBI risk factors in a population of children and older adults. A training plan was also conducted for handling staff involved in receiving, storing, packaging and distributing raw materials in a food distributor. The clean-up plan and training led to a 40 % to 70 % increase in compliance with best manufacturing practices (BPM). These results represent a solid basis for ensuring food safety and reducing the risk of acquiring FBI in the study population. This article also provides an outline for easily acquiring the necessary methodology for implementing a clean-up plan in a food industry.

Keywords : Food hygiene; quality control; industrial sanitation; public health.