BACTERIAL-CONTAMINATION OF THE LACTEAL CONTENTS OF FEEDING BOTTLES INMETROPOLITAN SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL

Reported are the results of a study in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to evaluate the bacterial contamination of the lacteal contents of feeding bottles prepared in urban households of low (LSE) and high (HSE) socioeconomi c groups, involving 100 and 32 mothers of infants, respectively. Sampl es of the lacteal contents of the feeding bottles were cultured and th e medians (25th and 75th percentiles) of the counts (bacteria per mi) were significantly higher in the LSE group: mesophilic bacteria, 555 0 00 (17250-4 350 000) in the LSE group and 1615 (20-500 000) in the HSE group; coliforms, 2400 (19-150 000) in the LSE group and 7 (0-7800) i n the HSE group. Escherichia coli was isolated from 26% (26/100) of th e samples from the LSE group and from 6% (2/32) of those from the HSE group (P = 0,03). In the HSE group, higher coliform counts were associ ated with foodhandlers other than the mother, lower levels of maternal education, the use of pasteurized milk, and the addition of ingredien ts other than milk. In the LSE group, feeding bottles prepared using t ap water and those prepared for infants aged over 6 months had higher coliform counts. In general, the feeding bottles prepared in the house holds studied were heavily contaminated, especially in the LSE group.