Tag

bacteria

Browsing

For most people, the first course in the morning in the office leads straight to the kitchen: there is hot coffee or tea to start the day awake. But there are also unwelcome guests waiting in the coffee cup from the communal kitchen because almost every fifth person is infected with intestinal bacteria!

Intestinal bacteria in every 5th cup!

Bacteria from the toilet actually have no place in the kitchen – but they can still be found, especially on coffee cups in the office. One in five cups is said to be contaminated with the intestinal bacterium Escherichia coli (E. coli), as reported by SWR.

If you don’t wash your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet, the bacteria will of course also be transferred to cups, cutlery, etc. in the communal kitchen. Even the washing cycle in the dishwasher does not kill all germs, since often only the short rinse program is selected at a low temperature – a fact that is particularly disgusting.

Tips for more hygiene

If you want to turn off the disgust alarm in the kitchen, you should follow these important tips. The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends hygiene when dishwashing:

  • Putting dishes in a dishwasher is better than washing them by hand. A temperature of 60 to 65 degrees should be reached in the machine so that the dishes are hygienically clean again
  • Use different towels to dry hands and dishes
  • Conventional washing-up liquid is sufficient for use, antibacterial agents are not necessary
  • Replace dishwashing brushes and clothes regularly. Clean dishwashing brushes in a dishwasher, wash dishcloths in the washing machine at 90 or 95 degrees
  • Occasionally microwavable chopping boards or sponges to sanitize. To do this, place the items in the microwave for at least two, maximum of four minutes at the highest level

The consumption of lettuce is actually considered healthy, but scientists from Braunschweig have discovered that there are coli bacteria on ready-to-eat lettuce and other cut vegetables. The said antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in every single sample of the 24 packs purchased.

For the study, researchers from Braunschweig bought various packaged herbs and salads in several supermarkets, in particular mixed lettuce, rocket, and coriander. These were then examined for multi-resistant bacteria: the result is frightening!

Where do the germs come from?

In many animal houses, the antibiotic tetracycline is used, some of which is later excreted by the animals. The excrements of the animals contain residues of this antibiotic as well as resistant germs.

But what does that have to do with ready-to-eat salads? The remains of the drug, including the antibiotic-resistant bacteria, end up in the manure used to fertilize the fields and thus also come into contact with the lettuce and other plants grown there.

Several antibiotics are powerless against the germs found

At first, the bacteria can still be classified as harmless, but the real danger begins after consumption: the intestinal germs have various resistance genes that can be transferred. In this way, the resistant genes can be passed on from the initially harmless intestinal bacterium to more dangerous bacteria. This means that if the antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause disease in the body, no drug will be able to counteract it because the pathogen is immune to it. This fact is to be classified as very worrying, especially for seriously ill people.

Wash the lettuce thoroughly before eating

The general rule is: to wash lettuce and raw vegetables thoroughly with clean water before eating to ensure that you eat as few germs as possible. At best, do not buy pre-packaged or pre-cut salads, because that is where the antibiotic-resistant bacteria spread particularly quickly. Pregnant women and weakened people, in particular, should follow this rule.

If you still have concerns, you can eat vegetables and fresh herbs to 70 degrees for at least two minutes before eating to avoid the risk of germs.

A hot wash helps against smelly laundry. This old and simple household remedy kills all bacteria and effectively combats smelly laundry from the washing machine.

Get rid of smelly clothes with a hot wash

If the laundry smells inexplicably after several washes, there is a simple reason: the hot wash cycle that should happen to underwear, socks, and towels from time to time is missing.

Good reasons for the hot wash cycle

If that doesn’t happen, bacteria will develop in these hygienic-intensive items of clothing, which will not be killed at 40 or 60 degrees and will not die off with “cold” washing. Although these bacteria are harmless, they cause unpleasant odors in the laundry.

What can I wash with a hot wash?

Bedding, sheets, and washcloths should also be washed regularly at 90 degrees. Especially in bed, there are many mites, vermin, and many bacteria. For pillows and duvets, you should follow special care instructions.