Segurança alimentar e práticas de higiene na indústria de alimentos: capacitação de estudantes de escola-fazenda

Abstract

Brazil, an agribusiness country, stands out in food production of both animal and plant origin. However, to conquer foreign markets, there is need to ensure the quality of this products. In this sense, a strict quality control program is necessary, which aims at food security as its main objective. Therefore, there are ordinances and resolutions that assist the industry to implement and manage tools and support programs ensuring consumer health and preventing outbreaks of foodborne diseases. Among the supporting tools the most used are the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), supervised by the National Agency of Sanitary Surveillance (ANVISA), Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Supply (MAPA), and Department of Animal Products Inspection (DIPOA). In this context, working with students of technical agricultural course, a study was developed with the aim of training students on food safety and hygiene practices in the food industry, as well as contextualizing the importance of chemistry in the subject. In order to assess the knowledge and perceptions of the food security, the cognitive Technique of association of words was used before and after the course. Self-administered questionnaires about knowledge, attitudes and eating habits of students in relation to food safety, foodborne diseases, good manufacturing practices, SSOP and hygiene were also applied before and after the training course. The results showed the cognitive method of word association as an important instrument to evaluate the perception of the Food Safety concept. Students of the agricultural technical course demonstrated prior knowledge about the topic covered in the course and presented evolution of knowledge after implementation, thus denouncing the importance of constant improvement of professionals who handle food.