In the study published in the journal Antibiotics, researchers from the InDeRe Institute for Food Research and the University of Veterinary Medicine analyzed routine surface hygiene data from Hungarian school kitchens collected between 2019 and 2024. During the investigation, 8,412 swab samples were taken, of which 8,407 were quantitatively evaluable, and the total aerobic mesophilic count was determined using a redox potential–based rapid method. Applying the hygiene threshold value of 250 CFU/100 cm², 12.4% of the samples were found to be unsatisfactory, meaning that on average every eighth surface exceeded the limit value. Non-food-contact surfaces (such as sinks, contact points on refrigerators, and workers’ hands) were nearly three times more likely to be problematic than food-contact surfaces. The most critical “hotspots” were the lids of transport containers (67.2% unsatisfactory), sink basins (32.8%), and cutting boards (21.6%), but above-threshold contamination was also frequently detected on food waste collectors and trays. A marked seasonality was observed: the highest proportion of non-compliance occurred in summer (16.5%), while the lowest was recorded in winter (9.0%). Fluctuations were also seen between years, with more favorable results in 2021 (7.7%), followed by a sharp deterioration in 2023 (19.3%). From a One Health perspective, the authors emphasize that wet, difficult-to-clean surfaces are not only cross-contamination hotspots but may also pose a risk in relation to antimicrobial resistance; therefore, they recommend targeted cleaning and disinfection as well as risk-based, trend-monitoring surveillance.
The full study is available at the following link: https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics15020120
András Tóth PhD
The research was supported by NKFIH (PD 142198).
