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Hygienic handling of food and foodborne diseases

Abstract:

Foodborne illnessare a major public health problem due to their high incidence worldwide, the guidelines for food hygiene must be applied, not only by the general population, but also by medical services and hospital systems. For this reason, this research aims to know the hygiene conditions of food and determine foodborne illness in a medical specialty clinic in the city of Ambato, Ecuador. The research was observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, with a sample of 117 people from three work shifts, to whom a food hygiene questionnaire composed of 24 items distributed in five (5) categories was applied, the data analysis was through descriptive statistics, applying the percentage calculation and frequency distribution analysis. As a result, there was a greater existence of protocol/norm for hand washing (76.65%) and less for the prohibition of the use of jewelry and accessories (29.91%), despite this, compliance with the protocol was 100.00% in personal protection equipment, prohibition of the use of jewelry and accessories, use of short, clean nails without polish, sharps accidents and hygienic handling of personal with dermatological, respiratory and diarrheal diseases. On the other hand, one (1) case of food poisoning caused by a strain of enterotoxigenic Scherichia coli (ETEC) bacteria without identification of an epidemiological link was found. In conclusion, correct food hygiene could prevent the spread of multiple diseases.