Environmental and surface hygienic quality of small dairies in mountain areas: suggestion to improve food safety

The present study investigates the quality of the environment and of the work surface in small family-run dairies to identify critical factors that are frequently neglected, despite their potentially decisive role in improving the hygiene standards of dairy processing. The major problems of family-run dairies are related to the microbial contamination and the environmental conditions that are essential for quality cheesemaking. The production structures are not functional, and it is difficult to protect both the processing and the environment from contaminants. Hygiene in both the environment and on the surface of the equipment is important to avoid microbial contamination, and if food-environment interactions are not monitored correctly, food safety can be at risk. Indeed, incorrect cleaning operations and poor hygiene habits by workers facilitate microbial transfer from the environment to the food, where microbes find suitable substrates and conditions to increase. In accordance with HACCP rules, the quality of raw materials and the cleaning operations of the processing premises are important aspects to guarantee the safety and quality of the final product. This paper studies the preliminary environmental quality with the aim of finding critical points for food safety.