ArticleMicroorganisms2020
Metagenomic Analysis of Regularly Microwave-Treated and Untreated Domestic Kitchen Sponges.
Article in Microorganisms, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Between the Sponge and the Tap-Bacterial Communities at Overlooked Hospital Hygiene Hotspots.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Microbiological contamination of domestic kitchen sponges and associated hygiene practices.Frontiers in microbiology · 2026Article
- Viability discrimination of bacterial microbiomes in home kitchen dish sponges using propidium monoazide treatment.Environmental microbiology reports · 2024Article
- Bacterial Contamination in the Different Parts of Household Washing Machine: New Insights from Chengdu, Western China.Current microbiology · 2024Article
- Mapping the Kitchen Microbiota in Five European Countries Reveals a Set of Core Bacteria across Countries, Kitchen Surfaces, and Cleaning Utensils.Applied and environmental microbiology · 2023Article
- Bacterial levels and diversity in kitchen sponges and dishwashing brushes used by consumers.Journal of applied microbiology · 2022Article
- Minority report: small-scale metagenomic analysis of the non-bacterial kitchen sponge microbiota.Archives of microbiology · 2022Article
- Evaluation of the kitchen microbiome and food safety behaviors of predominantly low-income families.Frontiers in microbiology · 2022Article
- The Special Issue: Transmission and Detection of Food and Environmental Pathogens.Microorganisms · 2021Article
- Biological and Chemical Processes that Lead to Textile Malodour Development.Microorganisms · 2020Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Kitchen sponges massively absorb and spread microorganisms, leading to contamination of kitchen appliances, surfaces, and food. Microwaving as an effective and widespread technique can rapidly reduce the microbial load of kitchen sponges. However, long-term effects of such treatments are largely unknown. Notably, it has been speculated that regularly applied domestic cleaning and disinfection may select for microbial communities with a higher pathogenic potential and/or malodorous properties. In this study, we distributed newly purchased polyurethane kitchen sponges to 20 participants, with the instruction to use them under normal household conditions for four weeks. Ten of the participants sanitized their sponges regularly by a standardized microwaving protocol, while the remaining ten sponges remained untreated. Metagenomic sequence data evaluation indicated that, in addition to bacteria, viruses, eukaryotes, and archaea were also part of the kitchen sponge microbiome. Comparisons of sanitized and untreated kitchen sponges indicated a trend towards a reduced structural microbial diversity while functional diversity increased. Microwave sanitization appeared to alter composition and metabolic properties of the microbial communities. Follow-up studies will have to show whether these changes are more positive or negative in terms of domestic hygiene, human health, and well-being.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.