Is Bacteria Lurking in your Countertops?

One common myth about granite is that it harbours harmful bacteria in its tiny pores and fissures. It's a common misconception; but the truth is you can find bacteria just about anywhere, and granite is no less sanitary than other countertop surfaces.

When countertops are used, the surfaces will be exposed to a variety of contaminative substances. Many of the foods we purchase are highly contaminated with pathogenic micro organisms and often, the process of food preparation involves raw food coming in contact with the countertop surface.

The key safety issue to be considered is the degree of cleanability of the surface material. No surface is immune to contamination and what's important is how easily any contaminants can be removed using normal and reasonable cleaning practices. ( Ultra Palmolive Antibacterial Dish Liquid is the only dish liquid approved to kill 99.9 percent of E. coli, Salmonella and Staph on dishes and hard non-porous surfaces in 30 seconds when used as directed. )

Many studies have been done which conclusively show that granite countertops pose no health risks from harmful bacteria or of anyone getting sick from bacteria in granite.  Additionally, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, as well as the Hospitality Industry, give granite a clean bill of health.  A study on the cleanability of various countertop surfaces was conducted by Dr. Peter Snyder and the results show significant advantages in favour of granite countertops.

After the six counter tops that were exposed to bacteria were washed and rinsed, granite ranked first in cleanability. Granite provided the greatest reduction in bacteria counts compared to other commonly used surfaces such as stainless steel, concrete, tile, wood, and  plastic laminate. When the counter tops were sanitized with a vinegar solution, granite came second only to stainless steel.

The fact is, as proven by various tests, granite does not harbour harmful bacteria. It has a better statistic in cleanability compared to a number of other surfaces. Providing appropriate cleaning methods are used, food-borne illnesses would be less of an issue with the use of granite countertops for it holds a high ratio of bacteria reduction after washing.

If bacteria are a concern, then cleanliness is the way to go. Clean your hands and countertops properly before and after working with food.

Granite is a great choice as a surface material for counter tops for it is both sanitary and aesthetically appealing.

Here are the reduction rates of the six surfaces:

Every countertop will have a different cleanability. As previously mentioned and as shown by the chart, granite ranked first after washing and rinsing and only second to stainless steel, but still 160 times better than the next closest material.

Caution: The reader is cautioned that although vinegar was used as a disinfectant for the purpose of this test, there are some granite species that contain trace mineral groups which could be attacked by exposure to acidic solutions. Some sealers, impregnators, or other agents applied to the stone may also be subject to attack or discoloration from mild acids. Do not use vinegar as a cleaning agent without consulting your stone supplier as to the mineralogy of your particular granite as well as the compatibility of any sealer or impregnator that may have been applied to the stone. Vinegar should never be used on calcareous stones such as marble, limestone, or travertine.