BBC Monday, 20 August, 2001, 17:20 GMT 18:20 UK Copper answer to food poisoning E.coli can be a dangerous infection

A greater use of copper benches and sinks in kitchens could help combat dangerous bacteria such as E.coli, say researchers.

They have found that the metal appears to have bacteria-killing properties.

A team from the University of Southampton found that E.coli 0157, one of the more dangerous strains of the bug, can live for more than a month on stainless steel.

This is the material used in most commercial kitchens and food processing plants.

However, at room temperature, copper killed the bacteria in just four hours. Even at cooled temperatures it killed the bacteria in 14 hours.

Professor Bill Keevil, who led the research, is recommending a far wider use of copper to cut the chance of poisoning outbreaks.

Professor Keevil said: "Stainless steel is used throughout the world because of its perceived hygiene and because it always looks like a nice, clean and bright surface.

"But a close look reveals scratches and marks which, on a microscopic scale, are more like valleys for pathogens to get into these crevices and rubbing a cloth or brush across the surface may not be able to get them out."

In 1997 an outbreak of E.coli 0157 in Scotland made 500 ill and killed 20.

Professor Keevil said: ""The research we have already done has shown that E. coli O157 is a very robust pathogen and that very rigorous cleaning techniques are needed to try and keep it out of the food chain.

"The goal is now to find the appropriate copper alloys that are acceptable for food use, easy to maintain, economical to fabricate and which retain the ability to kill bacteria.

"If this work is successful, it may be possible to achieve important public health benefits just by changing the surface material commonly used in food processing."

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

Answers

It used to be that copper was a common fixture for cooking and serving, maybe that helped our ancestors to survive in the conditions they did.

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

I well remember the Old Absinthe Bar on Bourbon Street which had a huge square bar clad in copper. It was beautiful. I'd love to have it for countertops in my kitchen but I bet it's very expensive.

-- Anonymous, August 20, 2001

Real copper IS expensive...and the other thing is, I had a solid copper pot, that came with instructions NOT to consume as copper would leach into the food.

-- Anonymous, August 21, 2001

Maybe there's a difference between cooking in it and using it as a work surface. I imagine it would have to be mixed with another metal because it's so soft.

-- Anonymous, August 21, 2001