ABSTRACT

This study was aimed at investigating the microbial contamination of kitchen towels. Standard aseptical methods in the microbial analysis of the samples was employed. A total of five (5) samples were collected from volunteers and the result of the study revealed that Sample A and sample E had the highest heterotrophic bacterial and fungal count of 6.5×10⁴ cfu/mg and 1.8×10⁴ cfu/g respectively. Staphylococcus sp, Streptococcus sp, Micrococcus sp, Corynebacterium sp., Bacillus sp and Listeria sp, were isolated whereas the fungal isolates were Aspergillus sp, Malassazie sp, Saccharomyces sp and Geotrichum sp. Furthermore, Staphylococcus had the highest frequency occurrence of (28%), while for fungal isolates, Aspergillus sp had the highest frequency of occurrence of (40%). This result indicated that kitchen towels could be a great health risk to humans as such regular or daily laundry is recommended to reduce the microbial contamination towels and consequently prevent cross contamination to food materials.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title page    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii

Acknowledgements         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Abstract       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         v

Table of contents   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study –         –         –         –         –         –         1

1.2     Aim and Objective of the Study –         –         –         –         –         2

1.3     Scope and Limitation of the Study       –         –         –         –         3

CHAPTER TWO

2.0     LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1     Types of Towels Commonly Used in Kitchen          –         –         4

2.2     Contamination of Kitchen Fabrics       –         –         –         –         5

2.3     Emanation of Diseases from Kitchen Fabric  –         –         –         7

2.3.1  Wetness Causing Growth of Bacteria   –         –         –         –         7

2.3.2  Inefficient Cleaning Method      –         –         –         –         –         8

2.4     Various Bacteria in Kitchen       –         –         –         –         –         9

2.4.1  Food-borne Bacteria        –         –         –         –         –         –         10

2.4.2  Water Borne Bacteria       –         –         –         –         –         –         11

2.4.3  Oil Borne Bacteria –         –         –         –         –         –         –         11

2.5     Importance of Anti-bacterial Finishes on Textile Materials –       12

2.6     Importance of Anti-microbial Finishes for Kitchen Towels –       14

2.7     Micro-biological Hazard Control Measures   –         –         –         14

2.7.1  Cross Contamination       –         –         –         –         –         –         15

2.7.2  Storage Temperature        –         –         –         –         –         –         16

2.7.3  Cooking Temperature      –         –         –         –         –         –         17

2.7.4  Cleaning and Disinfection         –         –         –         –         –         18

          CHAPTER THREE

3.0     MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1     Material       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.2     Methods       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.2.1  Sample Collection  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.2.2  Sterilization of Glasswares        –         –         –         –         –         21

3.2.3  Preparation and Sterilization of Media –         –         –         –         21

3.3     Microbiological Analysis –         –         –         –         –         –         21

3.3.1  Sample Preparation          –         –         –         –         –         –         21

3.3.2  Cultivation of Microorganisms  –         –         –         –         –         22

3.3.3  Enumeration of Bacterial Isolates        –         –         –         –         23

3.3.4  Purification of Bacterial Isolates          –         –         –         –         23

3.3.5  Characterization and Identification of Bacterial Isolates    –         23

3.3.6  Characterization and Identification of Fungal Isolates       –         24

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1     Results         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         25

4.2     Discussion   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         37

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0     CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         41

5.2     Recommendations –         –         –         –         –         –         –         41

References

Appendix

 

 

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.1     Background of the Study

Increasing global competition in textile has created many challenges for textile researchers and industrialists. The rapid growth in home textiles and their uses has generated many opportunities for the application of innovative finishes hygiene has acquired importance in recent years. Consumer looking for solution to bacterial problem and contamination and unique benefits provided by anti-bacterial finish. The kitchen fabrics are used for the various application, they used for the purpose of cleaning, ornamentation, wiping and presentation. The kitchen fabric contamination takes place by accumulation of bacteria fungi and other parasites here in this paper. It is discussed on reason I causes for bacterial attack health issues on their attack.

Kitchen towels have a variety of uses in Nigeria that include wiping dishes and utensils, drying hands and wiping spills from surfaces. Their uses cause them to be damp and sometimes dirty creating a breeding environment for microbes the food means for immediate consumption. Kitchen towels are known as potential agents in the spread of micro-organism (Anna, and Ashley, 2009) whenever a kitchen towel is used on the skin, cells serves as food for microbes (Scott and Bloomfield, 1990).

Microbes thrive in moist and warm environments where kitchen towels are usually used and stored during the use. There can be a propagation of undesirable micro-organisms through cross contamination during food processing and storage, which can result in an outbreak of food poisoning. The kitchen can provide a perfect breeding environment for microbes as they are usually used to absorb fluids from surface, plates, utensils or hands, and are not immediately washed. Microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye and include bacteria, fungi, middew, mould and yeast and are found in nature (Brian, 1998). Studies carried out at the University of Westminster have constantly shown that reusable kitchen cloths such as dish cloths, non-woven cloths, sponge cloths, rapidly become colonized with various type of microbes (Blomfield et al., 2011).

1.2     Aims and Objectives of the Study

The aim is to determine the microorganism in used kitchen towels that could be hazardous to health.

And the objectives of this study are:

• To isolate the organism in used kitchen towels
• To identify the organisms in used kitchen towels
• To enumerate the organisms identified
• To give useful recommendations on the proper handling and maintenance of kitchen towels.

1.3     Significance of the Study

For the fact that many kitchen’s towels are not usually washed and sterilized on a daily uses after the day work and this usually encourage microbial growth on kitchen towels which can easily be transmitted to kitchen utensils and equipment.

1.4     Scope and Limitation of the Study

The design of this research project is to investigate and analyzed the microbial load of kitchen towels due to time, inadequate facilities and financial constraints.