Avaliação do funcionamento do sistema HACCP numa unidade de restauração pública

Mestrado em Engenharia Alimentar - Qualidade e Segurança Alimentar - Instituto Superior de Agronomia

The presented dissertation had, as an object, to evaluate the employees behavior of the public catering units and see if the same was reflected in the microbiological quality of food available. To this end, three units were selected based upon their obtained classifications in internal audits, and three ready to eat dishes in order to check if the said dishes presented microbiological traces, which are deemed acceptable at the moment of consumption. After analysis the microbiological results, conclusions in relation to existing hygiene and food safety in the catering unit were drawn. To complement this study, a motivation and satisfaction questionnaire was given to all employees of the three restaurants in study, which aimed to determine the degree of satisfaction and motivation of employees within the company in study. The units that contributed to this study were the units number 1, 2 and 6, as they were those that received the lowest, mind and highest classifications respectively. From all of the available dishes of the restaurant, the Bife à Casa (because it is a cooking meal), the Prawn Salad (because it is a meal that no needs cooking and is served cold) and the Gazpacho (as a dish made by the company’s catering service, packaged in a monitored atmosphere and served cold) were chosen. These dishes were then subject to microbiological analysis, namely for the total count of microorganisms at 30ºC, the detection of Escherichia coli and for the bacterial detection of sulphite-reducing anaerobic bacteria. Through these analytic results, it was possible to assert that the dishes that presented a larger microbiological contamination were those that needed the greatest handling by the employees and were served cold (namely, the Prawn Salad and the Gazpacho). Uniquely, the Bife à Casa was the only dish that was appropriate for consumption, showing satisfactory results. In relation to the results obtained through the questionnaire on motivation and satisfaction, it was possible to observe that, despite the employees dissatisfaction with wages, they feel, overall, satisfied and motivated with the company in focus. It can be concluded thus that the HACCP system being implemented in the company is in no way effective, specifically due to lack of training of the food handlers as well as unprepared spaces within the catering units.