Report Examines Areas In Kitchens Where Germs May Hide

The New York Times (4/12, 1.68M) “Well” blog reports that “a new report...looked at the places and appliances in household kitchens that are most – and least – likely to harbor germs like E. coli and salmonella,” finding that “some of the areas people considered most likely to be contaminated, like microwave keypads, were not, while some they had never thought of, like refrigerator water dispensers and the rubber gasket on most blenders, were among the worst.

The findings suggest that many people who try to keep a tidy kitchen may be overlooking some of the more problematic areas, said Lisa Yakas, a microbiologist with NSF International, a nonprofit public health group that published the report.” According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 20% of food-borne illness outbreaks trace their origins to foods prepared and eaten at home.