Microbial Contamination of Food Refrigerators in Households

U radu je istražena mikrobiološka čistoća unutrašnjih površina hladnjaka za čuvanje hrane u kućanstvima. Obrisci su uzeti u 25 hladnjaka te je određivana prisutnost Salmonella spp. i Listeria spp. te broj Y. enterocolitica, psihrofilnih bakterija, kvasaca i plijesni, enterokoka, enterobakterija i Pseudomonas spp. Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., Y. enterocolitica, Pseudomonas spp. i enterokoki nisu izolirani. Psihrofilne bakterije utvrđene su u 13 obrisaka (52 % hladnjaka), a njihov se broj kretao u rasponu od 1 do 141 kolonije po cm2. Kvasci i plijesni su utvrđene u 11 obrisaka (44 % hladnjaka) u broju od 0,1 do 280 CFU/cm2. Enterobakterije su pronađene na površini jednog hladnjaka u broju 2,6 CFU/cm2. Temperature hladnjaka kretale su se u rasponu od 1 do 11,3 °C uz srednju vrijednost od 6,56 °C. Nije utvrđena povezanost temperature hladnjaka s brojem psihrofilnih bakterija i gljivica. Varijabilnost mikrobnih populacija i temperaturnog režima hladnjaka vjerojatno je posljedica različitosti navika i životnog stila vlasnika kućanstava.The paper investigates the microbiological cleanliness of the inner surfaces of refrigerators for storing food in households. Swabs were taken in 25 refrigerators and the presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria spp. and the number of Y. enterocolitica, psychrophilic bacteria, yeasts and molds, enterococci, enterobacteria and Pseudomonas spp. were evaluated. Salmonella spp., Listeria spp., Y. enterocolitica, Pseudomonas spp. and enterococci were not isolated. Psychrophilic bacteria were found in 13 swabs (52% of samples), and their number ranged from 1 to 141 CFU/cm2. Yeasts and molds were found in 11 swabs (44%) in numbers from 0.1 to 280 CFU/cm2. Enterobacteria were found on the surface of one refrigerator at 2.6 CFU/cm2. Refrigerator temperatures ranged from 1 to 11.3 °C with a mean value of 6.56 °C. The correlation of refrigerator temperature with the number of psychrophilic bacteria and fungi has not been found. The variability of microbial populations and temperature regime of refrigerators was probably due to the diversity of habits and lifestyles of household owners