science from kitchen

                          with surya

bacteria are beneficial

Most bacteria actually help humans. For example, intestinal bacteria help us to digest food. The ‘good’ bacteria that naturally live on and inside our bodies help us stay healthy by keeping the numbers of ‘bad’, disease-causing bacteria under control.

When you use antibacterial or antimicrobial cleaning products, good bacteria are also killed. This could be harmful if the ratio of good to bad bacteria is disturbed, and bad bacteria get the upper hand.

Soap and water is just as effective

Healthy households do not need these products. Effective hand washing with soap, and household cleaning using warm water and a plain detergent is the cheapest way to get rid of germs. Avoid antibacterial or antimicrobial products – they are more expensive, no more effective at cleaning and their widespread use may pose a wider health risk.

Environmental risks

Antibacterials such as triclosan can enter the environment and may accumulate in the food chain over time. Because of this, the national regulatory authority has decided to reassess their potential to constitute an environmental hazard. This review is currently still pending.