Hygienic-sanitary conditions in popular restaurants in Brazil

Introduction: Popular restaurants aim to guarantee food and nutrition security for socially vulnerable populations, providing nutritionally balanced meals and in adequate hygienic -sanitary conditions. Therefore, it is necessary to implement sanitary control measures. Objective: To evaluate the hygienic-sanitary conditions of popular restaurants in Brazilian cities. Method: Cross-sectional, descriptive study, carried out in 11 popular restaurants, in the cities of Belem (PA), Sao Luis and Paco do Lumiar (MA), Sao Paulo (SP), Niteroi (RJ) and Brasilia (DF). For the evaluation of hygienic-sanitary conditions, the Checklist of Good Practices for Food Services was applied, based on RDCs no 216/2004 and no 275/2002, of the National Health Surveillance Agency, containing 156 items categorized into 12 groups of evaluation. The adequacy percentage of the establishments was calculated, being classified as: "adequate", "partially adequate" and "inadequate". Results: The hygienic -sanitary conditions of popular restaurants presented an overall adequacy average of 85.4%, obtaining an "adequate" classification. The only group that presented the lowest adequacy average classified as "partially adequate" (73.7%) was "buildings, installations, equipment, furniture and fixtures". The other groups on the checklist were classified as "adequate". Conclusions: Popular restaurants presented, in the global average of adequacy, adequate hygienic-sanitary conditions to produce meals. However, it is necessary to correct the inadequacies found in the group whose average was "partially adequate", in order to avoid health risks and guarantee the distribution of safe meals to consumers. It is up to the Municipal Sanitary Surveillance to inspect and monitor compliance with the sanitary norms in force by these establishments.