Cooking Oil Keeps Bacteria Off Surfaces

Jul-30-18 Researchers have discovered that a coating of cooking oil can help keep bacteria at bay.

The method, from a team at the University of Toronto, involves treating the steel surface of food processing machinery with alkylphosphonic acid and then adding a coating of food-grade cooking oil. The oil fills in the small scratches and pits in the surface, creating a hydrophobic layer that makes it difficult for bacteria to gain a hold. As an added bonus, the oil is safer for consumption than standard antibacterial solutions.

In tests on stainless steel food-processing machines, there was a 1000 times reduction in levels of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on the oil-coated devices.

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