Tea towels ‘can cause food poisoning’

Multi-use of tea towels is putting households at risk of food poisoning, research suggests. Scientists from the University of Mauritius examined 100 towels that had been used for a month. They found E.coli was more likely to be found on towels used for multiple jobs, such as wiping utensils and cleaning surfaces, as well as drying hands. It was also more likely to be found on damp towels or those in households where meat was eaten. Multiple use increases the chance of cross-contamination of potential pathogens that can spread bacteria and lead to food poisoning. The government recommends washing or changing dish cloths, tea towels, sponges and oven gloves regularly and letting them dry before re-use. The research is being presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Atlanta, Georgia. The dirtiest place in your kitchen might surprise you… Washing hands in cold water ‘as good as hot’ Warning over eating raw dough due to E. coli risk in flour Scientists cultured the bacteria found on the towels to identify them and determined the bacterial load. Of the towels collected, 49% had bacterial growth, which increased in number with extended family, presence of children and increasing family size.