Effect of introduction of HACCP on the microbiological quality of some restaurant meals

The microbial quality of Spanish potato omelette and pork loin before and after implementation of the HACCP system in University restaurants was used as indicator of food safety in this work. The prevalence of aerobic plate counts and incidences of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Clostridium perfringens were analysed. Results of implementation of the HACCP system show a lower incidence of studied microorganisms. On the other hand, a documented training in personal hygiene, good manufacturing practices (GMPs), cleaning and sanitation procedures and personal safety in addition to the rearrangement in the infrastructure of these establishments could improve yet more the microbial quality of the meals served.