INVESTIGATING MICROORGANISMS: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL CLEANING METHODS ON KITCHEN SPONGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56238/ramv20n15-020Keywords:
Physical Cleaning Methods, Chemical Cleaning Methods, Household Cleaning Sponges, Cross-ContaminationAbstract
Kitchen sponges are frequently used daily to clean dishes. However, it is important to note that these synthetic sponges may contain microorganisms, representing a potential risk of dish contamination. This problem can be mitigated through proper sanitization before and after use. This study aimed to investigate and evaluate the effectiveness of physical and chemical sanitization methods on synthetic sponges used in the university restaurant of the Federal University of ABC, and to identify the presence of bacterial and fungal colonies after the application of different cleaning methods. The central objective was to determine the most effective method for the asepsis of these kitchen sponges. To this end, three sponges were collected from the university restaurant for microbiological analysis. One of these sponges was divided into parts and subjected to different sanitization methods, both physical and chemical. After each cleaning process, samples were collected and the amount of bacteria and fungi was compared before and after the methods, so that it would be possible to determine which treatment would be the most effective. Test results revealed the extreme need for greater attention to pre- and post-use cleaning conditions of sponges to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. Furthermore, the importance of replacing used sponges with new ones more frequently was emphasized.
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