Hot-drinks vending machines are disseminated worldwide and millions of drinks are served every day. Becauseof a small number of studies on hot-drinks related illnesses, the aim of this pilot study was to identify thepresence and load of bacterial species, potentially harmful for consumers, within hot-drinks vending machinesexternal critical surfaces. This preliminary cross sectional study was carried out in April 2015 at the Universityof Siena, Italy. Samples were taken from the critical surfaces of 4 hot-drinks vending machines (VM); theanalyzed VM’s critical surfaces were: Dispense Areas, Nozzles and Glass-Holders. The samples were sown onselective culture media: Plate Count Agar (PCA) at 22 °C and 36 °C, Slanetz and Bartely Agar (SBA) andMannitol Salt Agar (MSA). Total Viable Count (TVC) at 36 °C and 22 °C was assessed for mesophilic andpsychrophilic contamination. Results were expressed in terms of average CFU/cm2. Descriptive and statisticalanalyses were performed in order to assess which surface was the most contaminated. The nozzles resulted to bethe most contaminated critical surface, showing average values over the limits in all the culture media (PCA36 °C, PCA 22 °C, MSA and SBA). The statistical analysis showed that the nozzles were significantly morecontaminated (p<0.05) than Dispense Areas and Glass-holders both in PCA 36 °C and in PCA 22 °C. Given thehigh number of CFU/cm2, VM may constitute a potential threat for consumer’s health, reason for which furtherstudies are recommendable
Automatic Vending-Machines Contamination: A Pilot Study
Golinelli, D.;
2016-01-01
Abstract
Hot-drinks vending machines are disseminated worldwide and millions of drinks are served every day. Becauseof a small number of studies on hot-drinks related illnesses, the aim of this pilot study was to identify thepresence and load of bacterial species, potentially harmful for consumers, within hot-drinks vending machinesexternal critical surfaces. This preliminary cross sectional study was carried out in April 2015 at the Universityof Siena, Italy. Samples were taken from the critical surfaces of 4 hot-drinks vending machines (VM); theanalyzed VM’s critical surfaces were: Dispense Areas, Nozzles and Glass-Holders. The samples were sown onselective culture media: Plate Count Agar (PCA) at 22 °C and 36 °C, Slanetz and Bartely Agar (SBA) andMannitol Salt Agar (MSA). Total Viable Count (TVC) at 36 °C and 22 °C was assessed for mesophilic andpsychrophilic contamination. Results were expressed in terms of average CFU/cm2. Descriptive and statisticalanalyses were performed in order to assess which surface was the most contaminated. The nozzles resulted to bethe most contaminated critical surface, showing average values over the limits in all the culture media (PCA36 °C, PCA 22 °C, MSA and SBA). The statistical analysis showed that the nozzles were significantly morecontaminated (p<0.05) than Dispense Areas and Glass-holders both in PCA 36 °C and in PCA 22 °C. Given thehigh number of CFU/cm2, VM may constitute a potential threat for consumer’s health, reason for which furtherstudies are recommendableI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
