Will bacteria grow on granite?

Bacteria, like any other living organism, needs something to eat in order to live. Bacteria cannot eat granite. Unclean, unkempt countertops can harbor bacteria regardless of what countertop material is used. Granite has performed extremely well in testing; performing second only to stainless steel in its ability to resist bacterial growth.

Kitchen Countertops Cleanliness :

You can't go wrong with Granite!
When selecting the right material for the home kitchen countertop, there are many factors to consider: design, colour, cost, practicality, installation and most important hygiene. Today, it is understood that many food items that we purchase are highly contaminated with pathogenic micro-organisms, and it is necessary for the home cook to make these foods safe. Often, the first step in food preparation is cutting and manipulating the food to get it ready. It is essential that the countertop be cleaned after raw food has touched the surface. Otherwise, there can be cross-contamination, and the people eating the food prepared on the cross-contaminated surface can become ill.

An important study was carried out by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, a St. Paul Minnesota USA on countertop cleanliness. The institute develops educational materials, carries out research, provides data and reports for those working in the retail food industry The purpose of this particular study was to determine the cleanability of six of the most commonly used countertop surfaces: Laminate, Wood, Tile, Concrete, Stainless Steel and Granite.

The study measured the bacteria resistance capacity of six common countertop materials. Each surface was contaminated with E-coli (nearly 2 billion of the micro organisms), washed and rinsed with soap and water and then sanitized with a vinegar-and-water solution. The results are shown in the table shown here.

Dr. O. Peter Snyder, Jr. who conducted the study at the Institute said: "We hope our research will help consumers make healthy decisions when selecting a countertop surface for their kitchen." Dr. O. Peter Snyder, Jr., has educated thousands of executives, owners, chefs, employees, and home food preparers in procedures for producing safe food and is the president of Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management".

Here below are the results in greater detail for each of the surfaces:

Laminate, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 285 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 500,000 to 1.

Wood, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 500 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 2,000 to 1.

Ceramic Tile, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 900 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 233,000 to 1.

Concrete, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 2,400 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 30,600 to 1.

Stainless Steel, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 4,000 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 230,000,000 to 1.

Granite, washing and rinsing reduced the bacterial counts by about 36,000 to 1, as shown in the summary column. When the vinegar was applied, the overall reduction was increased to about 80,000,000 to 1.

While the stainless steel resulted in first position as regards cleanliness and granite second, when it comes to choosing a warm natural material that has not only a high aesthetic value in the home kitchen but a high level of bacteria resistance as well, granite has to be the first choice.

Source: Hospitality Institute of Technology & Management (HITM) 2003