Behind the scenes of taste: an exploratory study of non-compliance in Italian artisanal bakery and pastry laboratories

This study aimed to identify critical issues in artisanal bakery and pastry production in Italy that could improve food safety and quality. Fifteen voluntary Italian companies underwent on-site inspections and interviews from 2018 to 2021. The inspection concerned the production site characteristics, processing flows, materials, and personnel to pinpoint potential product contamination and record objective data collection through a 126-question demerit scoring system. The examined areas encompassed various aspects, such as the point of sale, management of raw materials and packaging, hygiene practices, finished product quality, sanitization procedures, external spaces, personnel, and other factors impacting food safety and hygiene. Additionally, assessments of the microbiological air quality were carried out. Two cohorts (six and nine companies in 2018-2019 and in 2020-2021, respectively) revealed critical issues in warehouse/packaging (70% non-compliance), finished product/cooling (50%), and people/products flow (38%). Site visits identified pest management and raw material handling challenges. Significant airborne mold and yeast contamination (30-50 colony-forming units/plate/h) was observed in areas near processing sites or with air turbulence. This study facilitated constructive discussions and proposed solutions with the participating companies.