Not Lovin' It — Researchers Find Feces on Every McDonald's Touchscreen Tested

 A study  recently conducted by researchers at London Metropolitan University  found that touchscreens used by customers at multiple McDonald’s  locations were covered in fecal bacteria. Dr. Paul Matawele, one of the  lead researchers in the study, explained that the spread of this  bacteria could lead to serious infections.

 “We were all surprised how much gut and faecal bacteria there was  on the touchscreen machines. These cause the kind of infections that  people pick up in hospitals. For instance Enterococcus faecalis is part  of the flora of gastrointestinal tracts of healthy humans and other  mammals. It is notorious in hospitals for causing hospital acquired  infections,” Matawele said. 

Researchers tested eight different McDonalds locations throughout the  London and Birmingham area, and each location had its own collection of  different viruses and bacteria, from listeria at one location to  Staphylococcus at another.

“Seeing Staphylococcus on these machines is worrying because it is so contagious. It starts around people’s noses,  if they touch their nose with their fingers and then transfer it to the  touchscreen someone else will get it, and if they have an open cut  which it gets into, then it can be dangerous. There is a lot of worries  at the moment that staphylococcus is becoming resistant to antibiotics.  However, it is still really dangerous in places like Africa where it can  cause toxic shock,” Dr. Matawele said. 

“Listeria is another rare bacterium we were shocked to find on  touchscreen machines as again this can be very contagious and a problem  for those with a weak immune system,” Matawele added. 

Meanwhile, a vast majority of the samples tested positive for traces of the bacteria Proteus. 

Dr. Matewele explains, “Proteus can be found in human and animal faeces.  It is also widely distributed in soil. It can cause urinary tract  infections and is also one of the hospital acquired infections where it  may responsible for septicaemia. Klebsiella is also from the gut and mouth, they are associated with urinary tract infections, septicemia and diarrhoea. Some species can infect the respiratory tract resulting in pneumonia.”

Customers receive their food immediately after touching these  screens, and they often wash their hands before ordering their food,  instead of after. A spokesperson for McDonald’s said that the machines  are cleaned regularly throughout the day. The statement from McDonald’s said, “Our self-order screens are  cleaned frequently throughout the day. All of our restaurants also  provide facilities for customers to wash their hands before eating.” 

 However, Matewele said that the same bacteria could be found on the  machines for several days. This study raises concerns about touchscreen  technology in general, as they are becoming more common for public use  in fast food restaurants and grocery stores.

“Touchscreen technology is being used more and more in our daily  lives but these results show people should not eat food straight after  touching them, they are unhygienic and can spread disease. Someone can  be very careful about their own hygiene throughout the day but it could  all be undone by using a touchscreen machine once,” Matewele says. 

While touchscreens present an obvious concern, it is likely that most  surfaces in public places contain a variety of different germs, so it  is always best to be cautious and hygienic.