Microbiological quality of food sold informally in Multifamiliares Los Centauros and Hacienda Rosablanca Villavicencio

Abstract

According to the 2022 Health Situation Analysis Report for Colombia issued by the Ministry of Health, 1,135 outbreaks of foodborne illnesses were reported nationwide during 2019. The problem identified is a lack of confidence in food safety, as well as outbreaks of foodborne illnesses involving pathogens and chemical contaminants, increasing public concern about the marketing, handling, processing, and preparation of food; contamination of ingredients, raw materials, and water; and insufficient or inadequate food storage. Faced with a lack of employment, the informal sector has found work opportunities in informal food sales, which undermines food safety and contributes to the spread of foodborne illnesses. Since Resolution 604 of 1993, street food has been defined as any type of food or non-alcoholic beverage ready for human consumption, prepared and/or sold on public roads or in areas authorized for this purpose by the competent authorities within their relocation plans (Ministry of Health, 1993).

General Objective: To implement foodborne illness prevention strategies based on microbiological quality analysis in order to reduce the public health impact of informal food sales in the Hacienda Rosablanca and Multifamiliares Los Centauros sectors of Villavicencio.

1) Characterization of informal food production and sales in the Hacienda Rosablanca and Multifamiliares Los Centauros sectors of Villavicencio. 2) Identification of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms in informally sold food through standardized laboratory tests. 3) Design of strategies to improve food preparation and consumption processes in informal food sales. Methodology: The research project will be carried out using a mixed-methods approach. A quantitative approach will be used to determine the microbiological quality of food sold in the area and to characterize working conditions. Population: Informal food vendors in the Hacienda Rosablanca and Multifamiliares Los Centauros sectors of Villavicencio.

Preliminary Results: To determine the microbiological quality of food, samples were taken from the aforementioned area. Eighty-one food samples were cultured on Petrifilm rapid count plates for E. coli, coliforms, and Salmonella in the biology laboratory of the UNIMINUTO Farm in Villavicencio.
The results of the bacterial cultures show that 5% of the samples were positive for E. coli, with an average of 81 CFU. Six percent of the samples tested positive for Salmonella, with an average of 82 CFU. These results raise a public health alert because they are similar to the 2024 epidemiological bulletin report where the most frequently identified microorganisms were Escherichia coli, fecal coliforms, and Salmonella spp.