http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode This study presents a comprehensive microbiological assessment of process hygiene in 49 retail food shops over four years (January 2021 to December 2024). A total of 613 swabs from food contact surfaces and 303 swabs from food handlers’ hands were analyzed to evaluate compliance with hygiene standards. Results indicated a gradual improvement in hygiene practices, with non-compliant food contact surfaces decreasing from 6.42% in 2022 to 3.30% in 2024, attributed to enhanced training and sanitation protocols. Additionally, 2.97% of food handlers’ hands were non-compliant according to swab counts, primarily due to elevated aerobic colony counts, with non-compliance rates of 5.45% in 2021, 7.27% in 2022, and a decrease to 1.94% in 2024. The findings underscore the importance of continu- ous monitoring and targeted interventions to mitigate microbial contamination risks. Despite progress, challenges remain in maintaining optimal hygiene standards, emphasizing the need for ongoing training and adherence to hygiene protocols within the retail food sector to protect public health and prevent foodborne illnesses. Future research should focus on the long-term efficacy of training programs and sanitation practices to establish best practices for the industry. Meat technology - Special Issue 66/3 2025 volume: 66 number: 3 startpage: 561 endpage: 565 Longitudinal microbiological evaluation of hygiene practices in retail food shops eng Process hygiene, Microbiological assessment, Swabs, Retail food shops Institute of Meat Hygiene and Technology Jovanović, Jelena Lukić, Mirjana Rašeta, Mladen Mrdović, Boris Branković Lazić, Ivana Nikolić, Aleksandra Babić Milijašević, Jelena info:eu-repo/semantics/article application/pdf 401968 bytes 2025-12-01 https://unilib.phaidrabg.rs/o:8670 doi:10.18485/meattech.2025.66.3.98