Hygienic condition and compliance with the regulation of bakeries in merkez district of Bitlis province

Bread is a valuable food product that is accepted as a basic food throughout the world and is consumed frequently and lovingly. Bread, which meets a large amount of daily nutritional and energy needs in societies where it is consumed at every meal, has a long-term and labor-intensive production process. The physical structure, the technological equipment capacity, the hygienic condition of the bakeries where the breads are produced, and the professional knowledge and experience of the masters who produce the bread are the important factors affecting the bread quality. This research aimed to evaluate 50 bakeries operating in Merkez district of Bitlis province from different aspects. In this context, the general, technological and hygienic status of the bakeries, the socio-economic status of the personnel working in the bakeries, the compliance of the bakeries with the relevant regulation and the microbial quality of the ambient air in the bakeries were determined. It has been observed that some of the bakeries have negativities and deficiencies in terms of their general, technological and hygienic conditions, and that the social and economic rights of the personnel working in some bakeries are not fully given. In the evaluations made according to "the Inspection and Control Form of the Workplaces Producing Food and Food Contact Substances and Materials" within the scope of "the Regulation on the Inspection and Control of Food Safety and Quality", it has been determined that there are bakeries that are not in compliance with the regulation in terms of some substances. It was determined that the total number of mesophilic aerobic bacteria and yeast-mold counts in the ambient air of the bakeries were below the limits specified in different sources. For healthy and reliable bread production, it is extremely important to provide the necessary technological equipment and hygienic conditions in the bakeries, to produce bread by professionally trained masters, and to regularly implement inspections/controls.