E. coli O157:H7 causes roughly 70,000 infections annually in the U.S. Contaminated surfaces in food and hospitality facilities contribute to this. Antimicrobial Copper kills 99.9% of E.coli O157:H7 within 2 hours of exposure.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year resulting in significant healthcare costs. Bacteria on surfaces in food and hospitality facilities are part of the problem. Harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 can easily be transferred in these environments.
Although Antimicrobial Copper is not registered by the EPA for use in direct contact with food, non-food contact touch surfaces in work stations and door hardware can be upgraded to aid in the fight against bacteria* in food and hospitality applications.
*Laboratory testing shows that, when cleaned regularly, antimicrobial copper surfaces kill greater than 99.9% of the following bacteria within 2 hours of exposure: MRSA, VRE, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and E. coli O157:H7. Antimicrobial copper surfaces are a supplement to and not a substitute for standard infection control practices and have been shown to reduce microbial contamination, but do not necessarily prevent cross contamination or infections; users must continue to follow all current infection control practices.