Abstract:

Objective  To investigate the species composition and ecological index of mites in the college refectories in Wuhu city. Methods  The floor dust and portion of flour were respectively collected from the dinning hall, goods storage and wheaten food preparation room in the college refectories in Wuhu area, and subjected to separation of the mites by direct microscopic examination or water film microscopy. Mite specimens were prepared under the microscope, and then identified and counted. Results  Mites were detected in 54 of the 161 samples collected, with a positive rate of 33.54% (54/161). Eight mite species were identified, representing 7 genera under 5 families. The average breeding density was 36.38 heads/ g (384/468.60). Conclusion  Mites appear prevalent in the dinning areas and food materials in the college refectories in Wuhu, suggesting that these places should be strengthened by regularly specified test to prevent the mite infestation.

Key words: College canteen, Mites, Breeding rate, Breeding density