Journal of Food: Microbiología, seguridad e higiene
Acceso abierto
ISSN: 2476-2059
ISSN: 2476-2059
Adriana Ornella*
Ensuring food safety and quality is critical in the frozen lamb industry. This study evaluates the impact of handling, transportation, and storage practices on the microbiological and chemical properties of frozen lamb in the UAE catering industry.
This research investigates the effects of handling, transportation, and storage on the microbiological and chemical properties of frozen lamb, aiming to evaluate the impact of handling phases (loading, transportation time, offloading, and storage time) on the quality and safety of the products and its relations to the food safety knowledge and adherence to procedures among catering staff during these stages. There are two phases in this study. In the first phase, three identical frozen lamb products, labelled A, B, and C, were transported to three different units with varying transportation times: 30 minutes for unit A, 45 minutes for unit B, and 90 minutes for unit C. Microbiological and chemical tests were conducted throughout the stages, from loading at the supplier's point to 30 days of storage. The tests included are Total Viable Count (TVC), Escherichia coli (E. coli), Salmonella, pH, fat content, and Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVBN). In the second phase, a questionnaire was given to evaluate food safety knowledge of 586 catering staff in handling frozen lamb during these stages, divided into five sections: Loading, receiving, transportation, storage, thawing, and food safety responsibilities and awareness. Results revealed significant variations in TVC during transportation and storage, with product C showing a peak TVC of 8266 Colony-Forming Units (CFU)/g after 30 days. Significant differences in microbiological quality were observed across different transportation times (p<0.001). However, overall microbiological quality during handling stages showed no significant differences (p>0.05), indicating stable microbial control measures. Chemical parameters exhibited significant changes (p<0.05), highlighting the need for stringent control, especially during storage. The questionnaire showed significant associations between respondent’s roles and their practices in temperature monitoring (p<0.001) and safe thawing methods (p<0.001). Although 94.7% received food safety training, it was found that regular microbial testing during storage needs improvement.
In conclusion, continuous training and strict adherence to food safety protocols are essential to maintain product integrity. The study highlights the critical role of temperature control and regular monitoring, providing insights for optimizing frozen lamb handling and storage, enhancing food safety in the UAE's catering industry.