Journal of Food: Microbiology, Safety & Hygiene
Open Access

Abstract

Pathogen Persistence in Restaurant Menus: Comparison between Materials

Martín Gámez N, Mengual Lombar M, Carcedo I, Lopez M.A and Álava J.I.

Restaurant menus could represent a source of cross contamination between consumers’ hands and food due to the daily manipulation, being a possible vector of certain food borne diseases if not cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis. To the question if those menus are included in daily cleaning protocols, the present study aims to demonstrate the actual bacterial contamination present in their surface. For this purpose, twelve menus from Basque Culinary Center’s historical archive made on plastic material and paper/paperboard material are tested in order to find any presence of aerobic microorganisms. In addition, twelve plastic menus from several restaurants in San Sebastian (Spain), which were currently in use, were also sampled to detect presence of aerobic microorganisms, specifically E.coli and S. aureus. Unable to find paper menus in restaurants, the question of whether plastic material is a really hygienic option arises. Therefore, a follow-up study is designed, consisting inoculation of two different types of menu materials (plastic and paper/paperboard) with a known concentration of E. coli and S. aureus to determine bacterial survival at different times. This second part of the study intends to demonstrate material would be the most appropriate in restaurant menus due to its ability to maintain a minimum level of contamination and bacterial persistence.