Evaluation of hygiene practices and microbiological quality of raw and mildly heat-treated vegetable salads from restaurants within Ilemela municipality of Mwanza, Tanzania

Abstract

In Tanzania, the consumption of vegetable salads is increasing and becoming popular in food service establishments of urban areas creating market for vegetables cultivated in rural and peri-urban areas. However, the products are among the high risky ready-to-eat foods (RTEs), as they are often served raw without being heat-treated and with no preservatives. A survey was carried out from May to June 2024 to evaluate hygiene handling and microbiological quality of raw and mild heat-treated vegetable salads served in restaurants in Ilemela Municipality. Hygiene practices were assessed by interviewing operators in thirty randomly selected restaurants. In parallel, thirty vegetable salad samples were collected and analyzed for Total Plate Counts (TPC) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). The findings demonstrated that food handlers had high illiteracy level with no food hygiene training. Hygiene practices that are crucial for safe preparation of food; such as wearing gloves, protective clothing and use of safe water were not regularly observed. Regarding microbiological quality, none (0/30) of the mildly heat treated vegetable salads had TPC, while, all (30/30) raw salad samples demonstrated high TPC contamination levels ranging from 3.2 to 4.6 Log cfu/g, exceeding the set limits. While, all (30/30) mildly heat treated salads were free of E. coli, 14/30 of the raw salad samples were positive. Thus, the raw salads were unsatisfactory for consumption. Therefore, food hygiene training and control by relevant authorities alongside treating vegetable salads with mild heat and food grade antimicrobial agents are essential in ensuring food quality and safety.