Are restaurant menus vectors of bacterial cross-contamination? A pilot study in Turkey

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the hygiene of laminated menus. Design/methodology/approach - The cleanliness of 41 laminated menus from first-class restaurant in Ankara, Turkey, was monitored according to the level of bioluminescence measured using a rapid hygiene monitor (Lumitester PD-20 and LuciPac Pen). Aerobic colonies, Escherichia coli, Enterobacteriaceae spp., and Staphylococcus aureus were enumerated. Findings - Based on the adenosine triphosphate+adenosine monophosphate hygiene monitoring levels, analyses showed impurity in 82.9 percent of the samples. The aerobic colony count on the restaurant menus showed a mean 1.52 log cfu/cm(2). The study results demonstrated a high-level impurity on the menus in first-class restaurants in Ankara. Originality/value - This study is the first in Turkey to assess the microbiological load of menus. This paper adds relevant insights into the assessment of menu hygiene and highlights the high contamination of the restaurant menus. Useful information about including the restaurant menus in the daily cleaning protocol is provided.