MICROBIAL EVALUATIONS AND CONTROL WORKERS HANDS

Microbiological analyses of workers' hands were made for the common in dicators, including aerobic mesophilic plate counts (APC), as well as the common food pathogens. Opportunities were observed for cross-conta mination of roast beef by workers' hands during slicing operations. Wo rkers' hands showed APC counts of up to 10(7) CFU/hand and the presenc e of S. aureus and C. perfringens. Salmonella spp were not isolated fr om hands. These results show that handling of these foods by such work ers would be a risk in transmitting pathogenic microrganisms to the fo ods and is apparent that it is necessary for these workers to take car e of personal hygiene. Decimal reductions obtained in the microbiologi cal counts after washing and antisepis of workers' hands were at 2, 6 logs cycles and still demonstrated the importance of this practice in food services by the fact that pathogens such as S. aureus and C. perf ringens were inhibited or killed.