In Vitro Hygienic and Sanitary Check of Minimally Processed Fruits and the Incidence of Cases in Brazil ^†

Introduction: Fruits contain high nutritional value, but when consumed without proper hygiene, they pose health risks to consumers due to the presence of bacteria. Minimally processed foods are associated with the presence of pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and especially thermotolerant bacteria, which are agents of foodborne illness. Methodology: The Google Scholar, Lilacs, and DATASUS databases were consulted to conduct the bibliographic research and to collect data on case incidence. Practical research was conducted in accordance with the APHA (9:2015) [1] and ISO (6888-1, 2003) [2] methodologies for culturing of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and thermotolerant bacteria Results: According to data available from DATASUS, 31,377 cases of coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus were recorded between 2007 and 2023. This number emphasizes the need to reduce food contamination in Brazil. Four samples of papaya and melon fruits from a market and a snack bar located in Brasília and acquired from two neighborhoods, which were cut, stored in plastic containers, and refrigerated without a thermometer, were analyzed. Gram-positive staining revealed morphological arrangements of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, in addition to the confirmed presence of thermotolerants above 45 °C and the presence of Escherichia coli. The results exceed the microbiological standard established by Brazilian Normative Instruction 161/2022 [3]. Conclusion: The case data, in spite of the existence of case underreporting, are significant and serve as a warning for the implementation of good hygiene practices. The results of the practical survey are extremely worrying and demonstrate a scenario of population exposure to foodborne illness-causing agents.