OBJECTIVE: This study characterized the trade of queijo de coalho (a type of curd) on the coastline of Salvador (BA), from the perspective of child labor and food safety. METHODS: This cross-sectional study interviewed 40 vendors, all aged less than 18 years, and performed the following microbiological analysis of 80 queijo de coalho samples, 40 raw and 40 roasted: facultatively anaerobic mesophile and coagulase-positive staphylo cocci counts, estimate of the most probable number and thermotolerant coliforms/Escherich and Salmonella spp. RESULTS: Most vendors were male (75%) students (95%), with an average age of 14 years. The main reasons for working were to supplement family income and have an occupation. They worked mainly on weekends, generating an income of 50% to 100% of the Brazilian minimum salary. On average, they worked 7 hours a day and had been working for 21.6 months. Queijo de coalho was bought from informal suppliers and kept at room temperature. The vendors were careless and not knowledgeable about food hygiene. Raw samples were significantly contaminated by facultatively anaerobic mesophile, coagulase-positive staphylococci and by thermotolerant coliforms averaging 8.14 and 1.95 log CFU/g and 4.30 log MPN/g; likewise, roasted samples averaged 6.47 and 1.00 log CFU/g and 2.09 log MPN/g. Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were also identified 95% and 50% of the raw and roasted samples, respectively, were classified as nonconforming. CONCLUSION: Child labor and microbiological hazard are associated with the queijo de coalho sold on the beaches of Salvador (BA), indicating the need of intervention.
Cheese; Food security; Child labor
