Journal of Biological Sciences1727-30481812-5719Asian Network for Scientific Information10.3923/jbs.2018.68.73BasalamahMohammed Abubaker ElmadboulyMohammad Abd Elmoneim AzzehFiras Sultan 22018182Objective: The objective of study was to investigate the safety and microbial quality of each stage of the patients' meals production chain to determine the critical control points to reduce, eliminate or prevent the possibility of a food safety hazard in two public hospitals in Mecca. This study also evaluated the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and sanitation procedures in the hospitals. Methodology: A predesigned checklist was used to assess the GMP, sanitation and hygiene practices. Bacteriological examination including estimation of total Aerobic Plate Count (APC), enumeration of mould and yeast count and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Salmonella spp. were done according to the standard methods. Mann-Whitney test for non-parametric data was performed to determine the statistical differences of results between the two hospitals. Results: The GMP and sanitation procedures showed comparable values between both hospitals. No significant differences in the microbiological examinations were observed in the stages of receiving and storage of ingredients, preparation, cooking and collecting foods at the line between the two hospitals. Serving the meals to patients' stage showed significantly (p = 0.036) higher APC value in hospital 1 than hospital 2. Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli bacteria were not detected during the delivery of meals to patients but Salmonella spp. were found at this stage in cold served vegetable salad and coleslaw salad that contained mayonnaise. Conclusion: Hospital food workers should be trained to carefully handle food items that could possibly be contaminated with pathogenic microbes.]]>El-Derea, H., E. Salem, M. Fawzi and M.A. Azeem,200814941952Buccheri, C., A. Casuccio, S. Giammanco, M. Giammanco, M. La Guardia and C. Mammina,20072007Gould, D., E. Kraa, C.B. Dalton, R. Givney, J. Gregory, R.J. Stafford and M.D. Kirk,200428211224Van Duynhoven, Y.T.H.P., C.M. De Jager, L.M. Kortbeek, H. Vennema and M.P.G. Koopmans et al.,2005133921Rumble, C., S. Addiman, S. Balasegaram, K. Chima, D. Ready, J. Heard and E. Alexander,201780257264Kim-Soon, N., L.H. Chin and A.R. Ahmad,201723317321Al-Mohaithef, M.,20142014Osaili, T.M., B.A. Obeidat, W.A. Hajeer and A.A. Al-Nabulsi,201778279285Hartwell, H. and J.S. Edwards,200112236242George, J.J., I.M. Robert and B. Ruth,2001Roberts, D. and M. Greenwood,20033rd Edn.,Pages: 294Pages: 294Tessema, A.G., K.A. Gelaye and D.H. Chercos,20142014Adikari, A.M.N.T., M.S.F. Rizana and T.P. Amarasekara,201666567Engelund, E.H., A. Lassen and B.E. Mikkelsen,2007379099Lund, B.M. and S.J. O'Brien,200973109120Meakins, S.M., G.K. Adak, B.A. Lopman and S.J. O’Brien,20035315O'Brien, S.J., P.S. Murdoch, A.H. Riley, I. King and M. Barr et al.,2001Escherichia coli O157: H-phage type 8 in hospital.]]>49167172Bolduc, D., L.F. Srour, L. Sweet, A. Neatby, E. Galanis, S. Isaacs and G. Lim,2004Escherichia coli O157:H7 in health care institutions in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Fall, 2002.]]>308188Reiss, G., P. Kunz, D. Koin and E.B. Keefe,2006Escherichia coli O157:H7 infection in nursing homes: Review of literature and report of recent outbreak.]]>54680684M.J Bruins, T.M.A. Fernandes, G.J.H.M. Ruijs, M.J.H.M. Wolfhagen, J.M van Rijn-van Berkel, B.E. Schenk and Y.T.H.P. van Duynhoven,2003549398Cowell, D., S. Cameron, I.G. Tribe and P. Cameron,2002Salmonella typhimurium phage type 135 infection linked to the consumption of raw shell eggs in an aged care facility.]]>263839Lund, B.M.,20082008pp: 212-233pp: 212-233Soares, M.J.S., N.H. Tokumaru-Miyazaki, A.L.S. Noleto and A.M.S. Figueired,1997Staphylococcus aureus clones and detection of Brazilian epidemic MRSA clone (III::B:A) among isolates from food handlers.]]>46214221