Latest news with #ShaninaKnighton
The Sun
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Passengers should never wash their hands in airplane toilets, experts warn – it can make them dangerously more dirty
WASHING your hands on a plane might sound like a smart hygiene move, but experts say it could leave you dirtier. The warning comes from flight attendants and health researchers who say the water in airplane bathrooms is not as clean as some people might think. 2 2 Most airplane water tanks aren't cleaned often, and bacteria can easily spread, especially mid-air. A 2017 study published in the Annals of Microbiology found more than 50 different strains of bacteria in ice samples used on planes. "A consistent percentage of the microorganisms identified from ice are known agents of human infections," researchers wrote. "My takeaway from doing the research was to not drink the coffee and the tea. At all," Charles Platkin, who led the study, told Travel + Leisure. "I don't wash my hands either. I have wipes that I use," Platkin said. Even if toilets are cleaned regularly, "the locks and door handles are not," warned flight attendant and travel blogger Josephine Remo. Shanina Knighton, a research associate professor at Case Western Reserve University, said she avoids the airplane bathroom when she can. "I'm mindful of surfaces, especially the latch on the bathroom door, which everyone uses to open the door, even if they haven't washed their hands," she said. Contaminated airplane water can "wreck your vacation before you even arrive," Knighton said. "I wouldn't want to start a vacation with a stomach bug because of unsafe water exposure," she added. I save £100s with 'secret' airport hack that lets me sneak extra bag on plane - it's completely legal & costs just £1.55 Instead of using the tap, Remo suggests using hand sanitizer after touching luggage, tray tables, or anything in the seat pocket. She added that passengers should wash their hands properly once they land. A former flight attendant speaking to Sanctuary Bathrooms described the loo as "essentially a cupboard, with no clean air." "There is no window and the air ventilation is poor," she said. "You could also be breathing in potential faeces particles, circulating the air after a toilet flush," said Knighton. She also warned against brushing your teeth onboard, since the water is often unfiltered and comes from the same tanks. "Use bottled water but my main piece of advice would be, do not take your toothbrush or wash bag anywhere near an airplane loo," she said. Passengers were urged to hover over the seat instead of sitting on it and, in general, to keep their shoes on while on the plane. KEEP SHOES AND STOCKINGS ON "Due to the high chance of unbalance and people missing the toilet bowl, there could be urine on the floor," Knighton said. "If you carried this from your sock into your shoe and back into your home – that would be incredibly unhygienic." She also urged travelers to shower as soon as they land. Knighton said she always used to hop in the shower immediately after returning home from work. "As soon as you arrive at your destination, put your clothes in the wash and have a good scrub," she said. "I always used to shower straight after work and sometimes the water would turn brown."
New York Post
30-04-2025
- Health
- New York Post
The dangerous takeout mistake too many New Yorkers make — one that could actually kill you
New Yorkers certainly love their takeout. Supposedly, around 45 to-go food searches are made each month per 1,000 residents, according to a study from Betway, originally reported by Time Out. While it's easier than ever to snap your fingers and have food delivered to your home — New Yorkers have to be careful with how long they're holding onto their leftover food and how they're reheating it, especially leftover food involving rice. Advertisement Surprisingly, cooked rice can harbor a toxin-producing bacterium called Bacillus cereus. 3 ahirao – '[The bacteria] survives the initial cooking process as a spore and if [the rice is] left out at room temperature, it'll produce toxins,' Emily Hovis, an assistant teaching professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health, explained to Right as Rain by UW Medicine. Advertisement 'So even when you reheat [rice], you're killing the vegetative cells, you're not destroying the toxins.' And these toxins can cause food poisoning or sometimes more serious health issues, especially if a person has a compromised immune system or is pregnant. When reheating rice or any leftover food — on the stovetop or in the microwave — the food should reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, according to experts. You can check this using an inexpensive food thermometer. 3 There are certain things to know about reheating leftover food. Getty Images/iStockphoto Advertisement Speaking of reheating, as tempting as it may be to throw your leftover pasta in the microwave to reheat it using the plastic container it came in — experts warn against this. As reported in Well & Good, those containers can have materials that spread chemicals like microplastics, phthalates or BPA into your food. 'When these plastics are heated, they can break down and release harmful chemicals into your food, increasing your exposure to toxins,' Shanina Knighton, PhD, RN, an infection preventionist and adjunct associate professor at Case Western Reserve University, told the outlet. 3 As tempting as it may be to reheat food in the plastic container it comes in — try your best to avoid doing it. Seventyfour – Advertisement 'The hotter, greasier, or more acidic your food is, the more likely these chemicals will leach into your meal,' the expert said. Instead of lazily relying on the dangerous takeout containers, store your leftover food in the fridge in a container with an air-tight lid and always reheat it in microwave-safe ceramic, glass bowls or plates, according to the Food Network. And considering 32% of Americans admit they're likely to forget about leftovers once they're out of sight, try not to let your leftover pizza sit in the fridge for longer than three or four days, because food can still go bad there. According to the USDA, 'spoilage bacteria can grow at cold temperatures, such as in the refrigerator. Eventually, they cause food to develop off or bad tastes and smells.'
