Probl Hig Epidemiol 2011, 92(4): 924-927pl

Hygienic quality of vending products and vending machines for selling hot drinks

Izabela Steinka, Anita Kukułowicz, Agata Sznajdrowska

Katedra Towaroznawstwa i Zarządzania Jakością, Akademia Morska w Gdyni

Summary
Aim. To assess the microbiological quality of hot drinks sold from vending machines and to conduct the microbiological evaluation of these machines.
Material. The counts of staphylococci and filamentous fungi were performed in a variety of locations, times of the day, and types of products sold. The tests were also performed on the same kind of drinks sold by the catering facility located on the same site.
Results & conclusions. The level of staphylococci contamination of beverages did not exceed 2.5 log cfu/mL and was found in drinking chocolate. Coffee from vending machines did not show the presence of microorganisms. The microbiological quality of beverages from vending machines was dependent on the type of beverage and the frequency of purchase. The contamination of the machine surfaces was closely correlated with the time of the day of testing and the location of the vending equipment. Beverages from the catering facility had higher levels of contamination than soft drinks sold from vending devices.

Key words:  vending machines, hot drinks, staphylococci, filamentous fungi, clean equipment