Microbiological Characteristics of Food Sold in Schools in N'Djamena, Chad: Case of Sandwiches, Alelés and Danwaké

Aims: To contribute to knowledge of the health quality of food sold near schools in N'Djamena, Chad, in order to ensure that students have healthy food. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study based on analyses of collected samples and interpretations of the results. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out from January 2023 to December 2024 in five (5) districts of the city of N'Djamena in Chad. Methodology: Microbiological analyses were carried out on samples through standard methods in microbiology. A total of 79 samples were taken, divided between Sandwiches (37), Danwaké (25) and Alelés (17). The germs counted were total mesophilic aerobic flora (FAMT), total coliforms, yeasts and molds, Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli. Results: The results revealed that for sandwiches, 81.2% and 88.9% to 100% of the samples analyzed were non-compliant with respect to total aerobic mesophilic flora and total coliforms respectively. For E. coli, 68.8% of the standard sandwich samples were non-compliant and 100% of the peanut sauce and eggplant sandwich samples were highly loaded with Staphylococcus as well as yeasts and molds. Analysis of the Danwaké samples showed non-compliant results for all germs with high percentages particularly for coliforms (86%) followed by staphylococci (76%). In the Alelés, these are also the germs that are regularly found in samples with non-compliance rates of 62.5% and 75% respectively for staphylococci and yeasts and molds. Conclusion: The presence of these germs in non-compliant proportions in Sandwiches, Danwaké and Alelés sold near schools constitutes a significant health hazard that deserves awareness among stakeholders in order to offer young students healthy foods to guarantee their health.