Application of a good manufacturing practices checklist in food and nutrition units of a socio-educational foundation in the state of Pará, Brazil

The production and supply of meals must occur in an orderly and categorized manner, as quality in processing can negatively impact consumer health. In this context, evaluating good manufacturing and handling Practices through tools that can identify risks and minimize hazards is essential to ensure safe food. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate Good Manufacturing Practices in Food and Nutrition Units (UANS) responsible for meals served to adolescents in a Socio-educational Foundation located in the State of Pará, Brazil. A total of 15 UANS were evaluated, of which 6 operated with centralized meal preparation and 9 with decentralized meal preparation. For this purpose, the checklist recommended by the National Health Surveillance Agency, described in RDC No. 275 of October 21, 2002, was applied. The results showed that 33.33% (2/6) of the centralized UANS, which prepare meals within the Socio-educational Unit itself, were classified as Group 1, meaning they were deemed suitable with minor adjustments. However, 100% (9/9) of the decentralized UANS, where meal preparation occurs outside the Socio-educational Unit and only distribution takes place, were classified as Group 2, requiring more significant adjustments related to building infrastructure, facilities, movable equipment, utensils, handlers of raw materials, ingredients, and packaging. Adjustments for non-compliant items are necessary to ensure the provision of safe food from a sanitary perspective for the adolescents served.