New study shows just how manky the office kitchen can be

You may want to think twice about making that cup of tea.

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Making a cup of tea or coffee in the office kitchen could make you a bit sick according to a new study.

Researchers in Liverpool swabbed shared kitchen areas from a variety of different job sectors. Specific areas like the fridge door handles, kettles, the buttons on a microwave and coffee machines were all inspected.

On most areas, E.coli and Pseudomonas – which can cause gastrointestinal and respiratory infections respectively– were discovered. A large number of items also came back positive for Klebsiella, a microbe commonly found in our intestines and spread through faeces.

Dr Adam Roberts from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine was the lead researcher of the project. he said:

“The results from this study showed communal kitchen areas to be full of various types of bacteria, many of which can be found in faeces.

“This is, of course, an extremely unpleasant thought but one which could indicate that people are simply not washing their hands thoroughly – or at all – after going to the toilet and then going to make themselves a cup of tea or preparing their lunch, for example.”

Although that's not the most pleasant news, all is not bleak. Just make sure your co-workers wash their hands!