Isolation and microbiological identification of bacterial contaminants in food and household surfaces

Objective
This study investigates and reveals the relationship between pathogenic bacteria in some types of food and that present in different household sites (kitchens) and determines an effective disinfecting method to eliminate bacteria from common kitchen locations, some of which could be harmful or pathogenic.
Materials and methods
A total of 90 samples were collected; 85 samples were taken from different sites from five home kitchens and five samples were collected from different types of food. Samples were obtained (before and after disinfection) from kitchen towels, cooking gas stove knobs, refrigerator handles, water taps, and kitchen sponges used for washing utensils by using sterile cotton swabs. Bacteria were identified according to the conventional biochemical methods. DNA fragmentation was done to show the effect of disinfectants on the most common bacteria.
Results and conclusion

, spp., and were the most abundant bacteria in the isolates. After disinfection using disinfectants containing sodium perborate and sodium silicate (detergent), sodium hypochlorite (Clorox), 5% amphoteric surfactant and chlorine (dishwashing powder), and Dettol, the samples were free of bacterial contamination. There was also a correlation between food contamination and bacteria isolated from the kitchens. As was the most highly abundant pathogen in the kitchen and was removed by the tested disinfectants, it was chosen for DNA fragmentation assay to examine the effect of the disinfectants on the bacterial DNA.