Category Archives: cross contamination

Research – Here’s why you really shouldn’t use your phone on the toilet

Sports Yahoo

Germs, germs, germs

For a start the bathroom is a hotbed of germs, which can easily be collected on your digi friend.

Initial Washroom Hygiene swabbed smartphones and found that average reading across all the mobile phones was 1479.

Just to give you an idea of how germ-y this is, a reading of over 500 units from an object indicates a high level of contamination, 200-500 is the normal range, and under 200 is low.

“Our phones are a common reservoir for potentially harmful pathogens and bacteria, and we know that people are prone to using them while visiting the washroom,” explains Dr Colm Moore area technical manager for Initial Washroom Hygiene.

“This is especially alarming when you consider that up to 80% of all infections are transmitted by touch. So when people use their phones and put it in close proximity to their mouths when on calls, they are potentially increasing the likelihood of picking up an illness.”

While many of the pathogens found on phones can be harmless, some can lead to some pretty nasty health ailments.

Research – Your Cutting Board Could Be Making You Sick

The Daily Meal iStock_000008493122Small

Of all the things in the kitchen that could be contaminated, your cutting board probably isn’t the first to come to mind. After all, you wash it after you use it! And it’s a flat surface — so wouldn’t you see any food that stuck behind? But if you don’t know what you’re doing, your cutting board could be exposing you and your family to harmful bacteria.

USA – Kroger Shrimp Recalled For Potential Health Hazard

Food Poisoning Bulletin

Kroger is recalling cooked shrimp that was actually sold raw or undercooked because they could be a potential health hazard. That means the shrimp could be contaminated with spoilage bacteria or with bacteria that could make you sick. The Kroger shrimp was sold in stores in parts of Michigan, central and northwest Ohio, and northwestern Virginia. This recall also includes Fry’s, King Soopers, and Smith’s grocery stores that are part of the Kroger chain.

Consumers may contact:

Aqua Star Consumer Hotline at 1-800-232-6280

We are sorry for this inconvenience. Your safety is important to us.

 

Research – Cross-Contamination and Biofilm Formation by Salmonella enterica Serovar Enteritidis on Various Cutting Boards

Mary Ann Liebert

Cross-contamination is one of the main factors related to foodborne outbreaks. This study aimed to analyze the cross-contamination process of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis from poultry to cucumbers, on various cutting board surfaces (plastic, wood, and glass) before and after washing and in the presence and absence of biofilm. Thus, 10 strains of Salmonella Enteritidis were used to test cross-contamination from poultry to the cutting boards and from thereon to cucumbers. Moreover, these strains were evaluated as to their capacity to form biofilm on hydrophobic (wood and plastic) and hydrophilic materials (glass). We recovered the 10 isolates from all unwashed boards and from all cucumbers that had contacted them. After washing, the recovery ranged from 10% to 100%, depending on the board material. In the presence of biofilm, the recovery of salmonellae was 100%, even after washing. Biofilm formation occurred more on wood (60%) and plastic (40%) than glass (10%) boards, demonstrating that bacteria adhered more to a hydrophobic material. It was concluded that the cutting boards represent a critical point in cross-contamination, particularly in the presence of biofilm. Salmonella Enteritidis was able to form a biofilm on these three types of cutting boards but glass showed the least formation.