OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated microbiological quality and temperature of enteral formulas before and after the implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system at the Central of Enteral Feedings of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. METHODS: During the period of September 2001 and January 2002, 320 samples of four kinds of enteral feeding identified as diets I, II, III, and Special diet were collected and submitted to temperature and microbiological analysis. Samples were collected weekly in two steps of the flow chart of production: immediately after preparation and after 16 hours of storage at refrigeration. For statistical analysis, the Wilcoxon's test was used. RESULTS: Before Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system, 92% of the storage temperatures were considered inadequate according to the Brazilian legislation. After Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system implementation, significant reductions (p<0.05) were observed in the counts of mesophilic microorganisms of diets II, III, and Special diet, immediately after preparation. Significant reductions were also observed in the diets II and III stored at refrigeration. Fecal coliforms, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium sp., Salmonella sp., Yersinia enterocolitica or Listeria monocytogenes were not found in any of the analyzed samples. Hazard analysis identified the acquisition of raw materials and refrigerated storage as the Critical Control Points of the produced diets. CONCLUSION: After the implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system at the Center of Enteral Feedings, the quality of the final product increased significantly, reducing the risk of food contamination.
enteral nutrition; food contamination; hazard analysis critical control points system
