ArticleBMC public health2020
Microbiological quality of kitchens sponges used in university student dormitories.
Article in BMC public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Biofilm formation, cell hydrophobicity, cytotoxic potential, genetic diversity, resistance to antimicrobials, and toxigenic profile properties amongFood science and biotechnology · 2026Article
- Between the Sponge and the Tap-Bacterial Communities at Overlooked Hospital Hygiene Hotspots.Microorganisms · 2026Article
- Citywide metagenomic surveillance of food centres reveals local microbial signatures and antibiotic resistance gene enrichment.npj antimicrobials and resistance · 2025Article
- 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
- Knowledge, Practices, and Risk Perception Associated with Foodborne Illnesses among Females Living in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.Foods (Basel, Switzerland) · 2022Article
- Food safety knowledge among pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates amid the COVID-19 pandemic.PloS one · 2022Article
- Food Safety Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Jordan Universities Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Frontiers in public health · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundKitchen sponges are a major source of cross-contamination as they can transfer foodborne pathogens, infectious agents and spoilage causing microorganisms to food contact surfaces. Several studies have revealed that university students adopt poor practices regarding food safety, hygiene, and the handling of kitchen cleaning equipment.
methodsA total of fifty kitchen sponges were collected along with a questionnaire addressing social demographics and kitchen sponge usage by students living at the University of Sharjah dormitories. The effect of storage (3 and 10 days) on the microbial population of kitchen sponges at room temperature (21 °C) was assessed. Enterobacteriaceae isolated from sponges were identified and their antibiotic resistance determined.
resultsStudent responses revealed that kitchen sponges used to clean food contact surfaces were also used to clean the oven (32%), sink (26%), refrigerator (10%), and to clean spills on the floor (4%). Kitchen sponges contained high counts of mesophilic aerobic bacteria (7.9 log
conclusionsThis study showed that students living in dormitories lacked good hygienic practices and were at increased risk of food poisoning. Kitchen sponges were highly contaminated with potentially pathogenic bacteria which could be transferred from the general kitchen environment to food contact surfaces and consequently lead to food contamination.
Indexed as
Identifiers
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.