Reusable water bottles are a 'hotbed' of bacteria

According to Earth, the researchers collected the bottles directly from the students, asked the owners how they used and cleaned the bottles, and then examined the bottles under a microscope to see how clean they really were.

Reusable water bottles need to be cleaned properly to remove bacteria - Photo: FREEPIK

The study, led by Carl Behnke from Purdue University (USA) and a team of scholars and scientists , was then supplemented by Dr. Yuriko Fukuta, assistant professor of medicine at Baylor College of Medicine (USA). The results showed that the outer surfaces of all the water collection bottles were considered "dirty".

More frequent refilling involves dirtier exterior surfaces. Each refill adds more points of contact.

Scientists tested the inside of the bottles to see how many bacteria were living inside. Most of the bottles contained more bacteria than would be expected in clean drinking water.

Fukuta suggests the bacteria could include staphylococcus or streptococcus. "More than 20 percent of our samples had coliform bacteria, which is fecal matter," Behnke says.

To clean your reusable bottle, treat it like a food contact surface. Use hot water and dish soap. Use a bottle brush to scrub the inside walls.

Use a small brush, skewer, or toothpick to clean small crevices. Remove the cap, straw, valve, and silicone ring and clean them individually. Let everything air dry.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/binh-nuoc-tai-su-dung-la-o-chua-vi-khuan-20251007081213022.htm