MICROBIOLOGICAL CONTAMINATION OF FOOD

The aim of the study was the statistical analysis of available data of microbiological investigation of food products. Data for the analysis were provided by the sanitary-epidemiological stations in Swietokrzyskie voivodship in 2008-2011. The different types of food products (meat, dairy products, grains products, fish, vegetables, fruit, water, soft drinks, vegetable fats, herbs, coffee, tea, cocoa, foodstuffs intended for particular nutritional uses and nutritional supplements) were studied. The research material was obtained from the products of national origin, food imported with distinguishing between the products originating from the European Union. The presence of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Yersinia enterocolitica was analyzed. Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica were detected sporadically. Listeria monocytogenes was detected the most frequently in confectionery products, convenience foods, milk and milk products, most rarely in fruits and vegetables. It has been shown that the most frequent pathogens in food samples were Salmonella spp., also responsible for the largest number of food poisoning in Poland. Salmonella spp. were detected primarily in domestic products. The increase of the prevalence of those bacteria was observed during next years (2008-2011). It should be emphasized, that all of the analyzed samples contained at least one of the studied species. Food contamination may cause an increase of food poisoning incidents as well as others diseases caused by these pathogenic bacteria. It is important to observe rules of hygiene during the production, preparation and consumption of food products, but this problem is more complex.