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Research Article

Frequency and sources of food safety hazards in the investigations of the State Sanitary Inspectorate on example of the activities of a selected District Sanitary and Epidemiological Station

Ewa Januś ¹ , Piotr Sablik ², Renata Pilarczyk ², Agata Święciło ³

¹Department of Cattle Breeding and Genetic Resources Conservation, Laboratory for Organic Production of Food of Animal Origin, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

²Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology Szczecin, Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland

³Department of Environmental Microbiology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, St. Leszczyńskiego 7, 20-069 Lublin, Poland

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 22(4), 2023

Abstract. The aim of the study was to analyse the frequency and sources of food safety hazards based on the results of research performed within the framework of official food control and monitoring, by the District Sanitary and Epidemiological Station. Basing on the published references, the concept of food safety was discussed, as well as the legal regulations in this respect at EU and national level. Hazards present in food (chemical, biological, physical) were also characterized. The analytical part was based on data from 558 food samples taken as part of official food control and monitoring performed by the District Sanitary Inspectorate over three consecutive years. It was found that during the analysed period, the largest number of samples tested for food hazards came from the groups: confectionery and pastry products; poultry, offal and poultry products, eggs and eggs products; milk and milk products. Samples were mostly collected at hypermarkets, food discounters, bakeries and confectioneries and convenience stores. The directions of the analyses varied significantly between product groups, with the most common being microbiological hazards and the content of additives, including preservatives, dyes and substances other than sweeteners and dyes. Confectionery and pastry products were most frequently tested for microbiological contaminants, while additives were mainly determined in delicatessen and culinary products. During the inspections, 15 food samples were called in question, and in one case the product labeling was questionable. The reasons for questioning the quality of food were the presence of microbiological contaminants such as: thermophilic Campylobacter bacteria, Salmonella bacteria, including S. enteritidis, an excess of Enterobacteriaceae, the presence of biological contaminants and inappropriate caloricity of the meal.

Keywords: food, food safety, State Sanitary Inspectorate, food monitoring, microbiological contaminants, food-borne diseases