Electronic devices such as cell phones, smart phones, tablets, computers etc. have become a necessary part of our day-to-day life. We carry them everywhere including places where food is prepared. Reasons for engaging in this practice could be that we use these devices to find and copy recipes, communicate with others, record information in form of texts, videos, pictures, and that we can be entertained as we get tasks completed.
The challenge with bringing these devices with us everywhere is that they can carry different kinds of fungi, bacteria, viruses, and protozoa, some of which are harmful to our health. These devices can pick up and spread microorganisms in the environment, and the different surfaces they come in contact with including our hands and surfaces in shared spaces.
We need to minimize operating our phones during occasions such as those listed below
- Handling ready-to-eat food such as cooked food, prepackaged food, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Bacteria can be transferred from your phone to the food or to the hands. Remember this food will not be cooked to kill bacteria before eating.
- Eating food. Touching your phone and eating with your hands creates an opportunity for bacteria to move from one surface to another.
- Handling raw meats. These can be a source of harmful microorganisms that will get to your devices.
- Using the restroom. Where do you place your phone while in the restroom? Is there a chance it will pick up microorganisms from that surface?
- Any other activity that can introduce contamination to devices.
Other tips to reduce food safety risks related to the use of electronic devices
- Wash hands with soap and water before and after touching devices.
- Clean and sanitize phones following the manufactures’ instructions. Wiping with dry microfabric cloth or lens wipes containing ethanol and isopropanol have shown promise in removing microbes from smart phones. Research shows that ultraviolet-C phone sanitizer technology can also reduce microorganisms on smart phones in less than a minute.
- Use voice activation instead of touch screens to perform tasks on your device. This can reduce the number of times you touch devices while preparing food.
- Food businesses are encouraged to train their workers about food safety risks that can be introduced by phones and to have policies that restrict the use of electronic devices when handling food.
- Touching devices while wearing gloves allows contamination to move from your device to your gloves and vice versa. Wash hands and wear new gloves before returning to food related tasks.
References and resources
Consumers' Use of Personal Electronic Devices in the Kitchen
Ultraviolet-C-Based Mobile Phone Sanitization for Global Public Health and Infection Control
Disinfecting handheld electronic devices with UV-C in a healthcare setting