You Can Reduce The Risk Of Food Poisoning With Disinfectant Wipes

New findings published in the journal of Applied Microbiology show that disinfectant wipes that are typically used in the kitchen (and other areas) can significantly reduce the risk of food poisoning.

Researchers at the University of Arizona discovered that consumers can reduce the risk of Campylobacter food poisoning by close to 99 percent when using disinfectant wipes in the kitchen after preparing poultry.

Oftentimes, the infection can be particularly damaging in younger children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems, resulting in symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea.

"The scary thing about Campylobacter is that you really don't need to ingest that many bacteria to get a nasty illness, so we have to wipe clean our kitchen surfaces and wash our hands after preparing poultry," researcher Gerardo Lopez said in a statement.
During the study, researchers used antibacterial wipes on typical counter top materials, such as granite, ceramic and laminate tile to see how they might reduce the risk of participants ingesting harmful bacteria.

Researchers also looked at information from other studies that examined the transfer of bacteria from food to surfaces and how it can stick to your hands, ultimately tracking germs into your mouth later on. They also calculated the potential reduction in risk of infection from using disinfectant wipes. The result was a reduction in the annual risk of Campylobacter jejuni infection of up to 99.2 percent, reducing the risk from 2:10 to 2:1000.

"We found that it's not just the physical removal of bacteria by the wipe that helps -- the antibacterial solution left behind on the counter surface continues to disinfect over the next few minutes," Lopez said. "It's also important that consumers clean up with a wipe straight after preparing poultry. If drips and splatters from the meat remain, bacteria can transfer to other foods from dirty surfaces and utensils. If the area is allowed to dry, the bacteria can sometimes stick to the work surface making it even harder to get clean, later."

Researchers recommend the use of wipes for the greatest use in disinfecting areas that may have been touched by poultry, including sink and taps, counter tops and stove top.