FORMAÇÃO DE AGENTES DE ALIMENTAÇÃO ESCOLAR EM HIGIENE E SEGURANÇA DE ALIMENTOS COM FOCO NA PREVENÇÃO DA COVID-19

Abstract

Foodborne diseases, caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water, continue to be an alarming problem on a global scale. With the emergence of COVID-19, much is said about its forms of contagion, even though it is proven that food does not directly transmit the disease, respiratory fluids that carry the virus can remain in the air for hours, including on surfaces and utensils leading to contamination. The National School Feeding Program is a public policy of extreme importance in the education of our country, guaranteeing the right to food for children and young people. During the pandemic, educational institutions were closed to contain the spread of the disease, but with the drop in reported cases, a safe reopening is oriented for students, employees and families of both. Training on Good Food Handling Practices is already used as a prevention tool for DTA's and can help prevent COVID-19. The present study aimed to apply and evaluate the effectiveness of food hygiene and safety training with a focus on COVID-19 prevention for school feeding agents. Questionnaires were applied before and after the training. It was observed that despite already knowing prevention and manipulation practices, many did not perform them correctly. The practice of wearing masks was not done correctly and neither was the hygiene of fabric masks. Gloves were not used correctly, which could contaminate food and food handlers due to the false security that this PPE gave to agents and reduced hand washing. The course showed effectiveness mainly on the use of PPE's, however it was clear that training should be carried out periodically as a reinforcement for good habits in the kitchen.