The BBC tells of potential harm from Restaurant dishcloths ‘full of bacteria’

Dishcloths used in restaurants and takeaways harbour unsavoury and possibly dangerous bacteria, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) has said.

The HPA visited 120 kitchens in north-east England.

The researchers found 56% of cloths tested were unacceptable, carrying faecal bacteria or in some cases dangerous bugs such as Listeria.

An environmental health expert said it was “pure luck” that spared more customers from illness.

There must be a better explanation.

The story also has an interesting point relative to information security compliance: hygiene risk is said to be highest from simple procedures.

Jenny Morris, the principal policy officer at the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, said that many restaurants and takeaways were good at following “more complicated” requirements for good hygiene, but fell down on simple things such as dishcloths.