Evaluación de platos seleccionados en el área caliente de la Unidad Empresarial de Base Catering Habana J. Food Sci. Gastron . (July - December 2023) 1(2): 19-24https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13994858ISSN: 3073-1283 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Evaluation of selected dishes from the hot area of the Havana Catering Base Business Unit David Danger ddanger@ifal.uh.cu1 Instituto de Farmacia y Alimentos, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba.Received: 05 April 2023 / Accepted: 12 June 2023 / Published online:15 July 2023© The Author(s) 2023 David Danger 1 · Raúl Báez 2 Abstract This study aimed to evaluate the hygienic-sani-tary behavior of selected dishes in the hot area of UEB Cater- ing Habana on board aircraft, using a fight simulation. The airline Cuban Aviation Company was chosen due to its high fight frequency and number of services ofered. The results of raw materials and fnished products from 2005 to 2007 (time zero) were analyzed. During the fight simulation (8-10 hours, 20 °C in a trolley), the dishes were prepared following the current technological process. Physicochemical (pH and moisture) and microbiological (aerobic mesophilic microor-ganisms, total and fecal coliforms, molds, and yeasts) were determined before and after the simulation on fve selected dishes. The results showed that 12.3% of the samples did not meet the established microbiological parameters, with total coliforms, aerobic mesophilic organisms, molds, and yeasts being the main causes of non-compliance. The pH and mois -ture values, along with the use of sauces, indicated a high risk for microbial growth. None of the fve dishes met the established time and showed sanitary non-compliance. The microbiological evaluations suggest that the main problems in the preparation and assembly of the dishes are due to in- adequate handling and processing practices. Keywords hygienic-sanitary behavior, hot catering area, microbiological analysis, fight simulation, food safety. Resumen Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo evaluar el com-portamiento higiénico-sanitario a bordo de aeronaves de platos seleccionados en el área caliente de la UEB Cater- ing Habana, mediante una simulación de vuelo. Se eligió la aerolínea Empresa Cubana de Aviación por su alta frecuen- cia de vuelos y cantidad de servicios ofertados. Se analizaron los resultados de materias primas y productos terminados de 2005 a 2007 (tiempo cero). Durante la simulación de vuelo (8-10 h, 20 °C en trolley), se elaboraron los platos siguiendo el fujo tecnológico vigente. Se realizaron determinaciones físico-químicas (pH y humedad) y microbiológicas (recuen - to de microorganismos aerobios mesóflos, coliformes to -tales y fecales, hongos y levaduras) antes y después de la simulación en cinco platos seleccionados. Los resultados mostraron que el 12,3% de las muestras no cumplió con los parámetros microbiológicos establecidos, siendo los micro- organismos coliformes totales, aerobios mesóflos, hongos y levaduras las principales causas de incumplimiento. Los va -lores de pH y humedad, junto con el uso de salsas, indicaron un alto riesgo para el desarrollo microbiano. Ninguno de los cinco platos cumplió con el tiempo establecido y todos pre- sentaron incumplimientos sanitarios. Las evaluaciones mi - crobiológicas sugieren que los principales problemas en la elaboración y montaje de los platos se deben a inadecuadas prácticas de manipulación y procesamiento. Palabras clave comportamiento higiénico-sanitario, área caliente de catering, análisis microbiológico, simulación de vuelo, inocuidad alimentaria. How to cite Danger, D., & Báez, R. (2023). Evaluation of selected dishes from the hot area of the Havana Catering Base Business Unit. Journal of Food Science and Gastronomy , 1 (2), 19-24. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13994858 2 Estación de Catering Aéreo de La Habana, CubaCatering S.A., La Habana, Cuba.
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (July - December 2023) 1(2): 19-24 20 Introduction Globally, airport catering services are distinguished by their commitment to food hygiene and high food safety for passengers of various airlines (Fróna et al., 2019). Onboard meals are a primary concern for operators, as current cus- tomers demand increasingly high-quality products they con - sume, with food safety being an essential aspect of quality. Providers are viewed as integral entities, and passengers ex -pect every interaction to be pleasant, with impeccable coor- dination and no room for chance. This situation underscores the importance of ensuring hygienic food preparation in this service, not only to protect the crew’s health but also to safe-guard that of an increasing number of passengers, preventing the spread of diseases across diferent regions.The complex and diverse production processes in air ca - tering, along with the need to ensure food quality, require the implementation of quality control systems that assess critical danger points and establish preventive measures, rather than relying solely on fnal product analysis, which is linked to costly laboratory studies and potential economic losses (Ok - pala & Korzeniowska, 2021).In-fight catering involves the preparation of ready-to-eat meals, which are served as both hot and cold dishes. These services must adhere to strict hygienic control methods. Like in other sectors, these foods are consumed in fight, making it essential to adopt rigorous sanitary measures to prevent Foodborne Illnesses (FBIs). The magnitude of these illnesses not only harms health but also damages the economy, gener- ating signifcant revenue losses and legal claims, which can damage the company’s reputation. Within the products prepared in air catering, beef, pork, and poultry play a prominent role in both preparation vol- ume and potential risks. Meat, in particular, is one of the raw materials that requires the most care to ensure its sanitary quality so that food derived from it reaches consumers with the appropriate hygiene standards (Alegbeleye et al., 2022; Bajić et al., 2022).In the specifc case of foods prepared for consumption aboard aircraft, safety takes on even greater importance, as any incident during the fight can severely compromise safe - ty. Therefore, air caterings continuously strive to meet hy -gienic conditions that allow for the preparation of safe foods and ensure that their preservation guarantees they arrive in optimal condition for both passengers and crew. In this con - text, the present work aims to evaluate the hygienic-sanitary behavior of selected dishes in the hot area during a fight simulation at UEB Catering Habana. Materials and methods An airline from Cubacatering was selected based on its frequency of weekly fights and the number of services of - fered. Given the importance of in-fight meals for passenger satisfaction and competition in the industry, the hot food area was chosen to study the stability of the dishes prepared at UEB Catering Habana. The selection of dishes was based on their susceptibility to spoilage, especially those containing meats such as chicken and fsh, which are in high demand in in-fight catering. A retrospective study was conducted, analyzing results from 2005 to 2007 regarding raw materials and fnished products of the selected dishes, obtained from the month- ly reports of the National Food Quality Inspection Center (CNICA, Cuba), Food Quality Laboratories (LACAL, Cuba) and Varadero Laboratories (Cuba). The information was or - ganized and classifed by year, achieving a consistent rela - tionship during the analyzed period. To simulate the behavior of the dishes on board, they were prepared in the kitchen and rapidly cooled, reaching tem- peratures below 10 °C in less than four hours. They were then stored in a refrigerator at temperatures between 0 and 4 °C for 30 hours. Subsequently, the dishes were assembled in trolleys, which were also refrigerated, and samples were taken that were frozen at -10 °C and sent to CNICA for mi - crobiological analysis. Some samples were stored at 20 °C for 8 to 10 hours in a conditioned area to simulate on-board conditions before the analyses.Physical and chemical quality attributes, such as moisture content (AOAC, 1997) and pH (ISO-2917, 1999) were eval - uated immediately after the simulation. Microbiological de -terminations were carried out according to Cuban standard NC 38-02-07:87, taking two samples per batch. The micro -biological analyses included the total count of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, total coliforms, fecal coliforms, and total yeasts and molds, conducted on the fve selected dishes before and after each simulation period. For statistical processing of the results, the mean and standard deviation were calculated. Results and discussion An analysis was conducted of the airlines served by Cuba- catering S.A., resulting in a nominal list of them. During the period from April 1 to May 10, 2008, hot meal services were ofered to 16 airlines, with varying weekly fight frequencies. The number of airlines may change depending on the time of year, commercial commitments, and other factors. The Cu - ban Aviation Company was identifed as the airline with the highest frequency of weekly fights and the largest number of services ofered, which led to its selection for this study.
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (July - December 2023) 1(2): 19-24 21 Once the airline was selected, the dishes were chosen from the customer catalog, which is divided into three categories: Club Tropical, Economy, and Crew. Most of the selected dishes belonged to the Club Tropical category due to their greater complexity in preparation and the ingredients used, which made them more susceptible to deterioration, espe- cially due to the sauces. The Club Tropical catalog features ten hot dishes, while the Economy category includes six dishes. From these two categories, fve hot dishes were se - lected for the study due to their high spoilage risk and exten - sive handling. These dishes include shredded meat with veg - etables (carrots, potato balls, and demiglace sauce); chicken supreme with red sauce (salad, spaghetti, tomato sauce, and grated Gouda cheese); smoked loin with criolla sauce and white rice; breaded chicken supreme with congrí rice; and grouper fllet with beans, yellow rice, and broccoli. The dishes were prepared following the established tech- nological fow, meeting all the required time and temperature parameters for their preparation in the hot area. To ensure that the conditions during the simulation closely resem-bled commercial conditions, the temperature was measured during storage in the simulation area, with the results pre- sented in Figure 1. Figure 1. Temperature behavior during the simulation.During the simulation of sample storage in the conditioned area for the study, the temperature ranged from 20 to 22 °C, values that are representative of fight conditions and align with expectations for a climate-controlled environment. Al -though continuous temperature recording was not performed during the simulation, the reported values are representative of the process, as there were no interruptions in the electrical supply during that period. pH control is crucial in the production of food products, as it not only helps monitor transformation processes but also serves as an indicator of hygienic conditions. A change in pH can signal undesirable changes in the product. Additionally, high levels of humidity promote the development of micro- organisms. The pH and humidity, along with temperature, are important factors for food preservation.Physical-chemical analyses of moisture and pH were con - ducted. These parameters were chosen for their direct con - nection to maintaining the hygienic stability of food. In gen -eral, products with a higher water content and a pH close to neutrality are more susceptible to spoilage, especially by mi- croorganisms. Water, in addition to being an essential com - ponent in food, infuences its structure and texture, and its interaction with other components determines relative stabil- ity during storage. The results of the physical and chemical analyses of the diferent dishes are shown in Table 1.Meat has a pH that favors the growth of most microor - ganisms (Satriawan et al., 2022), making it highly perish - able and unstable. However, the analyses were conducted on cooked meats, whose cooking reduces both moisture and the level of contamination, signifcantly slowing down spoilage. On the other hand, carrots, like many other vegetables, have a high moisture content, as indicated in the table. If cutting surfaces are not adequately disinfected, there could be a risk of contamination, although this risk is partially mitigated by the cooking process, given that it is an industrial product. Po - tato balls, which also have high moisture, face a similar risk. The pH of these ingredients does not make them partic-ularly vulnerable to spoilage, but it is also not low enough to ensure safety in case of contamination after cooking, for example, during plate assembly. It is important to note that this dish contains shredded meat with vegetables, which, al- though cooked, remains susceptible to spoilage. The addi - tion of the demi-glace sauce could increase these risks. The pH and moisture values found for this dish do not in- dicate spoilage risks. Additionally, several industrial prod -ucts are used in its preparation, such as vegetable medley, Gouda cheese, and tomato sauce. The red sauce is prepared in advance at the plant, so it does not interfere with the cook- ing of the dish. In the case of Gouda cheese, the reported pH values range from 5.28 to 5.32 (Méndez & Ramírez, 2020), indicating that it is not a highly perishable product. However, being grated increases the likelihood of spoilage. Chicken meat is commonly implicated in outbreaks and foodborne illnesses. The values of the analyzed dishes do not suggest quality issues. In the case of breaded chicken, like other cooked meats, the microbial load is reduced due to the cooking process. This dish is simple, and its moisture and pH values, like those of the chicken, do not indicate alterations or spoilage in its components, although it includes mojo cri- ollo sauce, which may increase its susceptibility to spoilage.The biochemical changes that fsh undergo lead to difer -ent stages of spoilage and degrees of freshness, which are important for the acceptance of fsh quality when used as raw material for storage or direct human consumption. The
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (July - December 2023) 1(2): 19-24 22 pH of fsh is higher than that of beef, making it more sus -ceptible to microbial attack, thus increasing its chances of contamination. Of all the analyzed dishes, this one has the highest overall pH. In general, the results of the physical-chemical analyses confrm that the selection of these dishes was appropriate, as all present elements of spoilage risk from microorganisms. The determinations of the dishes were conducted in dupli- cate and showed values exceeding the established maximum limits, indicating that these dishes do not have good microbi- ological quality. It cannot be assured that the meat raw mate -rials that make up the dishes meet ideal sanitary conditions at the plant; however, it is important to note that the microbial load present from the moment of slaughter has a signifcant impact on the microbiological quality of the meats used in the industry.The microbiological analyses (Table 2) performed includ -ed the total count of mesophilic aerobic microorganisms, total and fecal coliforms, as well as yeasts and molds. The presence of microorganisms in food is critical because food products are not sterile and can naturally support microbial growth, which may pose signifcant health risks to consum - ers. The microbiological results for shredded meat indicated that not all values were within the established limits (NC 38-02-07, 1987). The counts of mesophilic aerobic microorgan - isms and total coliforms exceeded the maximum limit at time zero. The vegetables used for shredding the meat, which are handled in a process with high chances of carelessness, pose a risk. The chicken supreme also showed results outside the limits, both in mesophilic aerobic microorganisms and in to-tal coliforms, yeasts, and molds, in both the values reported by CNICA at time zero and those conducted at the labora - tories of the Pharmacy and Food Institute. The presence of red sauce may be responsible for these results. In the case of the breaded chicken supreme, values outside the limits were recorded only for yeasts, due precisely to the breading.The smoked loin exhibited the highest levels of total coli - forms, likely attributed to improper handling (Martin et al., 2016). The addition of mojo criollo sauce may also increase these risks. The fsh with broccoli showed values outside the limits for total coliforms, yeasts, and molds, which aligns with the nature of these products and the high pH found in this dish.Discrepancies were observed between the analyses con - ducted by CNICA and those performed in our laboratory for the shredded meat and the chicken supreme with garnish. This can be explained by the diference in analytical units and suggests the need to increase the number of samples in future studies. However, confrmatory tests for fecal coliforms in all stud -ied dishes were negative at both, time zero and after the sim- ulation. This indicates that, although it is necessary to imple - ment educational measures for the staf, there are no signs of serious violations of hygiene procedures, such as failing to wash hands after using the restroom. Conclusions In conclusion, the analysis of the microbiological quality of the dishes prepared at the entity and their raw materials during the period 2005-2007 revealed that 12.3% of the sam -ples did not meet the established microbiological parame-ters, with most non-compliance attributed to the presence of total coliforms, mesophilic aerobes, yeasts, and molds. Ad -ditionally, the values of pH and moisture content, along with Table 1. Physical and chemical analysis of the evaluated dishes DishComponentHumiditypH Shredded meat, tropical class, dinner, cycle 2 Beef 61.6 (1.0)5.59 (0.01) Carrot 90.1 (2.0)5.1 (0.1)Potato ball83.87 (0.04)5.29 (0.01)Chicken supreme, tropical class, dinner, cycle 1 Chicken 64 (1.0)6.3 (0.1) Vegetables 82.1 (0.3)5.74 (0.01Pasta52.7 (0.1)5.43 (0.02) Breaded chicken supreme, economic class, return dinner, single cycle Moro rice50.27 (0.2)6.23 (0.11) Breaded chicken supreme 55.69 (0.01)7.03 (0.01)Smoked loin, economic class, return dinner, single cycleWhite rice 50.3 (1.0)6.2 (0.4)Smoked loin61.1 (0.2)6.0 (0.2)Grouper fllet, tropical class, dinner, cycle 1 Yellow rice 52.9 (1.0)6.91 (0.02)Fish fllet62.6 (4.0)7.16 (0.08) Vegetable (Broccoli) 86.2 (2.0)6.66 (0.04)
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (July - December 2023) 1(2): 19-24 23 Table 2. Microbiological results of the dishes FoodBatchMesophilic aerobesTotal coliformsFungiYeast0 h42 h0 h42 h0 h42 h0 h42 h Shredded meat 13x10 6 2.52x10 6 >1.5x10 3 ≤1x10 2 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 3x10 6 2.64x10 5 >1.5x10 3 ≤1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 3x10 6 2.24x10 5 >1.5x10 3 ≤1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 3x10 6 2.76x10 4 >1.5x10 3 ≤1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 25x10 3 1.78x10 5 <1x10≤1x10 2 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 5x10 3 2.16x10 5 <1x10≤1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 5x10 3 1.84x10 3 <1x10≤1x10 2 <1x105.0x10 2 5x10 3 1.92x10 3 <1x10≤1x10 2 <1x101.3x10 3 Chicken supreme with garnish 13.6x10 6 2.16x10 3 1.5x10 3 1x102NP<1x10NP3.4x10 2 3.6x10 6 1.92x10 3 1.5x10 3 <1x10 2 <1x102x10 2 3.6x10 6 2.88x10 5 1.5x10 3 1.28x10 3 3x101.5x10 3 3.6x10 6 2.88x10 4 1.5x10 3 1.36x10 3 1.5x10 3 5.0x10 2 23x10 6 1.76x10 4 3.6x10 2 1.08x10 3 NP1.7x10 3 NP<1x10 2 3x10 6 1.80x10 4 3.6x10 2 2.04x10 3 4x10 3 <1x10 2 3x10 6 3.24x10 4 3.6x10 2 <1x10 2 6.4x10 2 <1x10 2 3x10 6 3.1x10 4 3.6x10 2 1.52x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 Breaded chicken supreme 1<1x101.76x10 3 <1x101.48x10 4 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 <1x102.20x10 3 <1x108.80x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x101.28x10 3 <1x101.16x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x101.16x10 3 <1x109.20x10 4 <1x10<1x10 2 2<1x101.18x10 3 <1x107.6x10 2 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 <1x101.00x10 3 <1x108.9x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x107.50x10 3 <1x101.2x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x101.28x10 3 <1x101.08x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 Smoked loin with its garnish 1<1x101.20x10 3 <1x101.28x10 2 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 <1x101.36x10 3 <1x101.04x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x101.52x10 5 <1x101.12x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x101.36x10 3 <1x107.2x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 2<1x102.56x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 NP<1x10NP<1x10 2 <1x108.4x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x109.6x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x107.6x10 3 <1x10<1x10 2 <1x10<1x10 2 Grouper fllet with its garnish 11.44x10 3 1.60x10 5 4.4x10 2 2.00x10 2 >1x10<1x106.4x10 2 9.6x10 2 1.88x10 3 1.36x10 5 <1x10 2 1.96x10 2 >1x10<1x10<1x10 2 8.4x10 2 1.24x10 3 1.20x10 5 <1x10 2 1.86x10 2 >1x10<1x10<1x10 2 6.4x10 2 1.72x10 3 1.44x10 5 <1x10 2 1.40x10 2 >1x10<1x101.44x10 3 3.9x10 2 22.4x10 3 9.6x10 4 5.4x10 2 1.44x10 3 >1x10<1x105.6x10 2 <1x10 2 2.12x10 3 8.8x10 4 <1x10 2 1.08x10 3 >1x10<1x10<1x10 2 <1x10 2 1.24x10 3 8.0x10 4 <1x10 2 2.52x10 3 >1x10<1x10<1x10 2 6.5x10 2 1.52x10 3 3.8x10 4 <1x10 2 2.40x10 3 >1x10<1x105.2x10 2 4.6x10 2 NP: Not performed.
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