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| Science & Technology |
| New research shows microwave oven kills germa |
| 2007-01-25 |
| Two minutes in the microwave can kill 99 per cent of the germs harboured by kitchen sponges, scientists have found. Dishcloths and sponges are known to breed microbes such as E. coli and salmonella, that can cause potentially lethal food poisoning. Gabriel Bitton, professor of environmental engineering at the University of Florida, said: 'Basically what we find is that we can knock out most bacteria in two minutes. People often put their sponges and scrubbers in the dishwasher but if they really want to decontaminate them and not just clean them, they should use the microwave.' The scientists soaked sponges and scrubbing pads in untreated wastewater containing 'a witch's brew of faecal bacteria, viruses, protozoan parasites and bacterial spores including Bacillus cereus spores which are quite resistant to radiation, heat and toxic chemicals, and are notoriously difficult to kill'. They also used bacterial viruses as substitutes for disease-causing viruses, such as hepatitis A. Then they used a microwave oven to zap the sponges and scrub pads for varying lengths of time, wringing them out and checking for microbes after each test. The results were unambiguous. Two minutes of microwaving on full power mode killed or inactivated more than 99 per cent of all the living pathogens in the sponges and pads. The Bacillus cereus spores required four minutes for total inactivation. Professor Bitton said the heat, rather than the microwave radiation, was the most likely cause of death for the pathogens. As the microwave works by exciting water molecules, it is better to put wet rather than dry sponges or scrub pads into the oven. He added: 'The microwave is a very powerful and an inexpensive tool for sterilisation.' Cooks should microwave their sponges every other day, he suggested. The warm, damp environment of kitchen cloths is the ideal breeding ground for microbes. In the right conditions one bacterium can multiply to more than four million in just eight hours. This can make them up to 200 times more infested that a lavatory seat. The Food Standards Agency estimates that up to 5.5million people in the UK are struck down with food poisoning each year. Professor Bitton, co-author of the report, published in the Journal of Environmental Health, said preliminary research also shows that microwaves might be effective against bioterrorism pathogens such as anthrax, although more study was needed. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #6 It's the Daily Mail, Texhooey. We mustn't have unfair expectations. Rather like expecting me to not have typos in my posts these days, it seems. At first glance I didn't recognize the title of my own post, and wondered why researchers were throwing Germans in microwave ovens. *shudder* |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-01-25 17:32 |
| #5 What the hell is a bacterial virus? Maybe they meant virulent bacteria... |
| Posted by: Texhooey 2007-01-25 12:36 |
| #4 Yahoo has additions to this story reporting locals trying this at home, but without wetting the sponge first. Smokin' rubber takes ages to clear a kitchen. The usual idiots. |
| Posted by: Thinemp Whimble2412 2007-01-25 11:36 |
| #3 'a witch's brew of faecal bacteria, viruses, protozoan parasites and bacterial spores including Bacillus cereus spores which are quite resistant to radiation, heat and toxic chemicals, and are notoriously difficult to kill'. Sounds like the menu from my local restaurant! Presentation is the key :) |
| Posted by: MacNails 2007-01-25 07:37 |
| #2 every time, after I use the restroom, I microwave my hands for two minutes. No germs, and they're almost well done |
| Posted by: Frank G 2007-01-25 06:24 |
| #1 News you can use. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2007-01-25 01:43 |