Preliminary screening and microbiological evaluation on the environmental hygiene for galley equipment safety equipment and cabin common facilities of a local airline in Malaysia

M. A. R. Nor Khaizura, . and D. W. Rollon, . and G. K. Wing, . and Son R., . and C. H. Kuan, . and D. Ajau, . and H. Hasan, . Preliminary screening and microbiological evaluation on the environmental hygiene for galley equipment safety equipment and cabin common facilities of a local airline in Malaysia. pp. 75-82. ISSN 2550-2166

Over the last two decades only a handful of research have been conducted pertaining to food safety in the aviation industry. The gap of knowledge in in-flight food safety literature has long been silenced. Therefore it was the objective of this study to conduct preliminary screenings to evaluate the environmental quality of the service equipment (GE) safety equipment (SE) and common facilities (CF) within the confinement of commercial aeroplanes in Malaysia. A total of 112 swab samples (n 112) were analyzed to detect the prevalence of Escherichia coli Vibrio Salmonella and coliforms using conventional microbiological methods. The qualitative aerobic mesophilic plate count revealed that 99 (88.39) and 13 (11.61) were reported as positive and negative samples respectively. It was reported that all 17 samples taken from the long-haul flight were positive with 8 (9.14) 4 (3.57) and 5 (4.46) samples belonging to the GE SE and CF respectively. Forty-five positive swab samples taken from medium-haul flight sectors showed that 30 (26.79) 8 (9.14) 7 (6.25) samples were that of the GE SE and CF respectively. Meanwhile 19 (16.96) 8 (9.14) and 10 (8.93) of the short haul flights samples were that of the GE SE and CF respectively. It was therefore concluded that GE SE and CF were reported at 57 (50.89) 20 (17.86) and 22 (19.64) respectively. In view of the large numbers and high percentages of positive sample results it is our opinion that the cleaning sanitizing and disinfecting procedures of the galley equipment safety equipment and common facilities are revisited. The assurance in conformance to the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) management system may enhance the safety and reliability of all stakeholders especially the flight attendants who are the final custodians of the environmental hygiene and that of themselves.

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Abstract

Over the last two decades only a handful of research have been conducted pertaining to food safety in the aviation industry. The gap of knowledge in in-flight food safety literature has long been silenced. Therefore it was the objective of this study to conduct preliminary screenings to evaluate the environmental quality of the service equipment (GE) safety equipment (SE) and common facilities (CF) within the confinement of commercial aeroplanes in Malaysia. A total of 112 swab samples (n 112) were analyzed to detect the prevalence of Escherichia coli Vibrio Salmonella and coliforms using conventional microbiological methods. The qualitative aerobic mesophilic plate count revealed that 99 (88.39) and 13 (11.61) were reported as positive and negative samples respectively. It was reported that all 17 samples taken from the long-haul flight were positive with 8 (9.14) 4 (3.57) and 5 (4.46) samples belonging to the GE SE and CF respectively. Forty-five positive swab samples taken from medium-haul flight sectors showed that 30 (26.79) 8 (9.14) 7 (6.25) samples were that of the GE SE and CF respectively. Meanwhile 19 (16.96) 8 (9.14) and 10 (8.93) of the short haul flights samples were that of the GE SE and CF respectively. It was therefore concluded that GE SE and CF were reported at 57 (50.89) 20 (17.86) and 22 (19.64) respectively. In view of the large numbers and high percentages of positive sample results it is our opinion that the cleaning sanitizing and disinfecting procedures of the galley equipment safety equipment and common facilities are revisited. The assurance in conformance to the hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) management system may enhance the safety and reliability of all stakeholders especially the flight attendants who are the final custodians of the environmental hygiene and that of themselves.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Food safety
AGROVOC Term:	Safety
AGROVOC Term:	Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point
AGROVOC Term:	Aviation
AGROVOC Term:	Equipment
AGROVOC Term:	facilities
AGROVOC Term:	Microbiological analysis
AGROVOC Term:	Hygiene
AGROVOC Term:	Escherichia coli
AGROVOC Term:	Vibrio
Depositing User:	Mr. AFANDI ABDUL MALEK
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 00:55
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/10803

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