Can you be infected with deadly bacteria at any time by using chopsticks? Some doctors cited multiple studies and pointed out that a common type of chopsticks has 7 to 8 times more bacteria than a toilet seat, contains up to 13,000 bacteria, and may even cause fatal diseases. Which chopsticks are the safest? Can this be avoided by switching to disposable chopsticks? Doctors suggest 5 ways to reduce the risk of infection.
A model of chopsticks 8 times dirtier than a toilet was found to contain 13,000 deadly bacteria
Critical care specialist Huang XuanA post on its Facebook page stated that chopsticks are prone to the growth of bacteria, and there are many types of bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria and Helicobacter pylori. These bacteria can cause food poisoning, gastroenteritis, and even fatal illness.
Dr. Huang pointed out that a study in Taiwan analyzed five types of chopsticks, including stainless steel chopsticks, bamboo chopsticks, imitation porcelain chopsticks, wooden chopsticks and striped bamboo chopsticks.
Li Zhengda, assistant professor of the Department of Health and Nutrition of Fuying University of Science and Technology, once conducted a test to compare the bacteria content of five types of chopsticks after cleaning. The results showed the following findings (the bacteria content was arranged from low to high):
The results found that after cleaning, stainless steel chopsticks had the lowest bacterial content; bamboo chopsticks and imitation porcelain chopsticks had similar bacterial contents; wooden chopsticks had a bacterial content of 600 CFU, 3.3 times higher than the standard value; striped bamboo chopsticks had bacterial contents The content is as high as 13,000 CFU, which is 37 times more than ordinary bamboo chopsticks and 7 to 8 times dirtier than a toilet seat.
Dr. Huang pointed out that a study was conducted by the Microbiology Laboratory of Liaoning Provincial People’s Hospital in Mainland China. The results found that when wooden chopsticks were used for 2 years, the number of colonies per square centimeter was 16.3, while that of metal chopsticks used for nearly 2 months was 0.7. It shows that wooden chopsticks are more likely to breed bacteria.
Do chopstick bacteria double every 20 minutes? Not just from food scraps?
Dr. Huang Xuan quoted research as saying that the average number of bacterial colonies on chopsticks is 25,610 CFU (the standard value is 200 CFU), and can reach a maximum of 30,128 CFU. The detection rate of pathogenic bacteria is 5%.
Why are there bacteria on chopsticks? Dr. Huang Xuan explained that the sources of bacteria on chopsticks include the following three aspects:
Are disposable chopsticks safer and more hygienic?
Dr. Huang pointed out that mainland researchers once collected 100 pairs of disposable chopsticks (disposable chopsticks) and ordinary chopsticks from Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities. After testing, they found that the bacterial content was 97.5% and 97.0% respectively. There is little difference between the two types of chopsticks, and the bacterial species are roughly the same, mainly including Escherichia coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria, etc. The only difference is that disposable chopsticks contain higher sulfide content. Therefore, researchers recommend against using disposable chopsticks as they are neither environmentally friendly nor hygienic.
How often should chopsticks be replaced?Doctors teach 5 tips to reduce risks
What method should be used to wash chopsticks so that the cleaning effect will be better and cleaner? Huang Xuan, a critical care specialist, pointed out that if you want to reduce the risk of bacterial growth in chopsticks, it is recommended to adopt the following five chopstick washing methods:
1. Wash chopsticks carefully
- When cleaning chopsticks, you should wash them carefully to avoid leaving food residue and oil stains.
2. Dry chopsticks
- After each wash, place the chopsticks on a dish rack to spread out and dry. Make sure the chopsticks are put into the chopstick barrel with the head facing up, and the chopstick barrel should be placed upright to prevent the chopstick head from being contaminated with bacteria on the bottom of the chopstick barrel.
3. Store chopsticks properly
- Chopsticks should be stored in a ventilated and dry place to prevent mold contamination. It is best to clean and disinfect once a week. If conditions permit, it is also recommended to use a disinfection cabinet for sterilization.
4. Disinfect chopsticks regularly
- It is necessary to disinfect chopsticks regularly. You can put chopsticks in a steamer or boiling water for 30 minutes every week, or use a household sterilizer to sterilize wooden and metal chopsticks at high temperatures.
- Experts recommend boiling chopsticks thoroughly every 1 to 2 months for better high-temperature sterilization. At the same time, it is ideal to replace chopsticks every six months.
5. Choose the appropriate material when buying chopsticks
- Using metal chopsticks is also a good choice because they are less likely to have cracks that can harbor bacteria. “304 stainless steel chopsticks” without any grooves or lines may be less prone to bacterial growth.
The content received “Dr. Ooi Hean“Authorized reprinting
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2023-12-24 06:45:22
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