Dishwashing sponges and brushes: Consumer practices and bacterial growth and survival

Sponges are frequently used in kitchens and have been shown to harbor large numbers of bacteria, occasionally also pathogens. Less is known about kitchen brushes regarding usage presence bacteria. In the present study, use sponges was studied a survey among 9966 European consumers ten countries, growth survival bacteria were examined laboratory experiments. preferred hand-cleaning utensils for washing-up majority while most Denmark Norway. Consumers mostly change their at regular times, but sensory cues (looks dirty, smelly, slimy) occurrences such as wiping up meat juices may trigger replacement. Besides cleaning dishes, over quarter dish brush users it clean chopping board after soilage from chicken juices. The water uptake drying rate varied considerably, both between different sponges, where dried fastest. Campylobacter survived one day all Salmonella more than seven days two three types sponges. type sponge that slowest, grew on first always found higher levels other Non-pathogenic reached around 9 log CFU/sponge. died time. reduced by 2.5 below detection limit days, respectively. Bacteriota studies revealed tendency dominance Gram-negative shift high relative prevalence Pseudomonas time Both enumeration agar plating bacteriota analysis confirmed pathogens minority compared Treatments with chlorine, boiling or dishwasher effective reduce Salmonella. We conclude hygienic should be encouraged. Contaminated replaced cleaned when they contact pathogenic microorganisms, e.g. raw food spills. Cleaning safe alternative replacing them new ones.