The harmful bacteria......

The harmful bacteria responsible for food poisoning and breathing problems hiding in our homes

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 8:46 PM on 28th July 2010

• Comments (0)
• Share

Bathroom seals, fridges, kitchen towels and kettle handles are prime spots in the home for harbouring harmful bacteria, according to a report.

Tests found a range of bacteria and mould – including E.coli, Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and penicillin – linked to food poisoning, diarrhoea and breathing problems.

Experts from the Hygiene Council took swabs from 20 homes in nine countries worldwide.

Worrying: Harmful bacteria such as this sample of E.coli which can cause food poisoning and other health problems are found in the home

The UK samples revealed 80 per cent of bathroom seals were heavily contaminated.

The second dirtiest site was inside fridges, with 35 per cent of samples unsatisfactory and 15 per cent heavily contaminated.

Cloth kitchen towels were also a source of contamination, with 20 per cent being unsatisfactory.

And kettle handles appeared to be dirtier than computer keyboards - 22 per cent failed bacterial tests compared with 19 per cent of keyboards.

The study also found penicillin mould in 80 per cent of fridge interiors and on 70 per cent of bathroom seals.

Hygiene Council chairman John Oxford, a professor of virology at Barts and the London School of Medicine, said: ‘In some samples, we are not talking about ten microbes, we are talking about 10million.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1298469/The-harmful-bacteria-responsible-food-poisoning-breathing-problems-hiding-homes.html#ixzz1iyn3sQHo