The role of hands in cross-contamination of kitchen surfaces during meal preparation.

Background: Foodborne pathogen transmission during food preparation is a common occurrence, and cross-contamination can be a contributing factor. Behaviors that lead to cross-contamination during meal preparation have not been well characterized. The study objective was to determine how hands and food handling behaviors (with a focus on handwashing and touch-based events) affect the risk of cross-contamination of kitchen surfaces and foods during meal preparation.

Cross-Contamination to Surfaces in Consumer Kitchens with MS2 as a Tracer Organism in Ground Turkey Patties.

Abstract: It is estimated that one in five cases of foodborne illnesses is acquired in the home. However, how pathogens move throughout a kitchen environment when consumers are preparing food is not well characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and degree of cross-contamination across a variety of kitchen surfaces during a consumer meal preparation event.

The Efficacy of Commercial Surface Sanitizers against Norovirus on Formica Surfaces with and without Inclusion of a Wiping Step.

Commonly used surface sanitizers often lack activity against human noroviruses (hNoVs). The impact of inactivation versus removal when these products are applied via wiping is poorly characterized. The purpose of this work was to assess the anti-hNoV efficacy of various surface sanitizer chemistries, as applied to a laminate material commonly used for restaurant tabletops, using standard surface assays (ASTM E1053-11) and a newly developed wiping protocol.

Comparative Assessment of the Efficacy of Commercial Hand Sanitizers Against Human Norovirus Evaluated by an Fingerpad Method.

Human noroviruses (hNoV) are the leading cause of acute non-bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide and contaminated hands play a significant role in the spread of disease. Some hand sanitizers claim to interrupt hNoV transmission, but their antiviral efficacy on human hands is poorly characterized. The purpose of this work was to characterize the efficacy of representative commercial hand sanitizers against hNoV using an fingerpad method (ASTM E1838-17).

Efficacy of an alcohol-based surface disinfectant formulation against human norovirus.

Aim: To evaluate the anti-noroviral efficacy of PURELL® surface sanitizer and disinfectant spray (PSS, an alcohol-based formulation) using human norovirus GII.4 Sydney [hNoV, by RT-qPCR and human intestinal enteroid (HIE) infectivity assay] and its cultivable surrogate, Tulane virus (TuV, infectivity assay), compared to sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) solutions.

Methods And Results: PSS efficacy was evaluated in suspension and on surfaces [stainless steel (SS)] using ASTM methods.

Observational Study of the Impact of a Food Safety Intervention on Consumer Poultry Washing.

Abstract: This study was conducted to test the effectiveness of a consumer poultry washing educational intervention that included video observation of meal preparation with participants who self-reported washing poultry. Treatment group participants received three e-mail messages containing information that the U.S.

Cross-Contamination on Atypical Surfaces and Venues in Food Service Environments.

Abstract: Cross-contamination of raw food to other surfaces, hands, and foods is a serious issue in food service. With individuals eating more meals away from home, contracting a foodborne illness from a food service establishment is an increasing concern. However, most studies have concentrated on hands or food contact surfaces and neglected atypical and unusual surfaces (surfaces that are not typically identified as a source of cross-contamination) and venues.

An Observational Study of Thermometer Use by Consumers When Preparing Ground Turkey Patties.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of an intervention for consumer thermometer use by using a randomized experimental design and direct observation of meal preparation. The study was conducted in test kitchen facilities in two locations in North Carolina (one urban and one rural). Cameras recorded participants' actions at various locations throughout the kitchen and recorded the meal preparation from beginning to end.

Capture and concentration of viral and bacterial foodborne pathogens using apolipoprotein H.

The need for improved pathogen separation and concentration methods to reduce time-to-detection for foodborne pathogens is well recognized. Apolipoprotein H (ApoH) is an acute phase human plasma protein that has been previously shown to interact with viruses, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and bacterial proteins. The purpose of this study was to determine if ApoH was capable of binding and efficiently capturing two representative human norovirus strains (GI.

Human norovirus as a foodborne pathogen: challenges and developments.

Human noroviruses (NoVs) are the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, and they exact a considerable human and economic burden worldwide. In fact, the many challenging aspects of human NoV have caused some to call it the nearly perfect foodborne pathogen. In this review, a brief overview of NoVs and their genetic structure is provided.

Escherichia coli strains expressing H12 antigens demonstrate an increased ability to attach to abiotic surfaces as compared with E. coli strains expressing H7 antigens.

The role of Escherichia coli H antigens in hydrophobicity and attachment to glass, Teflon and stainless steel (SS) surfaces was investigated through construction of fliC knockout mutants in E. coli O157:H7, O1:H7 and O157:H12. Loss of FliC(H12) in E.

Laboratory evidence of norwalk virus contamination on the hands of infected individuals.

Human norovirus (NoV) outbreak investigations suggest that the hands of infected individuals play an important role in NoV transmission. However, there is no experimental evidence documenting the likelihood and degree of NoV contamination on hands. As part of a clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of high-pressure processing for Norwalk virus (NV) inactivation in oysters, 159 hand rinse samples were collected from 6 infected and 6 uninfected subjects.

Characterisation of curli production, cell surface hydrophobicity, autoaggregation and attachment behaviour of Escherichia coli O157.

Escherichia coli O157 are an important group of foodborne pathogens with the ability to attach to materials commonly used in food processing environments such as slightly hydrophilic stainless steel. The aim of this study was to characterise six E. coli isolates, including five E.

Relationship between the physicochemical properties of nonchitinolytic Listeria and Salmonella and their attachment to shrimp carapace.

Listeria and Salmonella are important foodborne pathogens normally associated with the shrimp production chain. This study investigated the potential of Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Senftenberg, and Listeria monocytogenes (Scott A and V7) to attach to and colonize shrimp carapace. Attachment and colonization of Listeria and Salmonella were demonstrated.

Comparative analysis of attachment of Shiga-toxigenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella strains to cultured HT-29 and Caco-2 cell lines.

The ability of Escherichia coli and Salmonella isolates to attach to Caco-2 and HT-29 cell monolayers was measured. All isolates displayed a greater ability to attach to Caco-2 cells than HT-29 cells, and overall E. coli isolates attached better to both cell lines than Salmonella isolates.

Decontamination of knives used in the meat industry: effect of different water temperature and treatment time combinations on the reduction of bacterial numbers on knife surfaces.

Previous regulations in Australia and internationally required that knives used during the slaughter and dressing of carcasses be sanitized by brief submersion in water at 82 degrees C. Many current international regulations allow science-based equivalent alternative procedures to be used. However, limited time-temperature data are available on the response of bacteria to hot-water treatment on knives.