Microban conducted a study to investigate the effectiveness of their antimicrobial additives in reducing microbial growth on treated surfaces. They tested untreated commercial and residential countertops against a Microban-treated Silestone countertop. The number of bacteria was measured by placing contact plates on the surfaces for a period of time. The plates from the untreated countertops showed similar bacterial growth to published studies. However, the plates from the Microban-treated Silestone countertop showed significantly reduced bacterial growth, demonstrating the antimicrobial activity of Microban additives. While Microban protection is limited to the treated product, it works to keep products cleaner and fresher between cleanings by inhibiting microbial growth on surfaces.

1. Residential Commercial Microban Treated
Silestone
1. Mann, D. Germs in the Kitchen. WebMD, October 18, 2007.http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/germs-in-kitchen
2. Rusin, P., Orosz-Coughlin, P. and Gerba, C. (1998)Reduction of fecal coliform, coliform, and heterotrophic plate count bacteria in the household kitchen and bathroom by disinfection with hypochlorite
cleaners. Journal of Applied Microbiology 85, 819-828.
Microbial Burden of a Kitchen Countertop
Microban Products Company (MPC) provides antimicrobial additives that can be used
as preservatives in many kitchen products such as sponges, cutting boards, handles of
utensils, faucets, and countertops. Our additives are incorporated into these products to
protect them from stains, odors, and product deterioration caused by microbial growth.
Microban®
technology is not designed to protect users from disease causing microorganisms
that may exist on kitchen surfaces and it is not a substitute for normal cleaning and hygiene
practices. But it does keep the surfaces of products containing Microban®
additives cleaner
and fresher between normal cleanings and can extend the useful life of these
products.
But how do you know?
You may have read that kitchens contain more bacteria than a typical bathroom(1)
, and
that under optimal conditions, bacteria can double on an unprotected surface every 20
minutes. But you can’t see growing microorganisms like you can see dirt and stains, or smell
the odors they can cause.
MPC recently completed a study that investigates how effective Microban®
antimicrobial
additives can be in reducing the growth of microorganisms on a treated product’s surface.
The product chosen to be tested was a Silestone®
countertop.
In our study, untreated commercial and kitchen countertops were tested against the
Microban®
-treated Silestone®
countertop. Numbers of bacteria on each were measured by
placing contact plates on the surface of the test countertops for a specified period of time
and then letting any bacteria present grow on them for one day. The bacterial growth
observed on plates from the untreated countertops was very close to what has been
published in similar studies in peer-reviewed scientific journals(2)
. On the Microban®
treated
Silestone®
countertops, the number of growing bacteria was significantly reduced as shown
below in the photographs of representative plates from the study. These photographs are
provided for comparative purposes only, to substantiate the antimicrobial activity we
observed in our study. Microban antimicrobial product protection is limited to the product
itself and is not designed to protect the users of these products from disease causing
microorganisms, food borne illnesses, or as a substitute for normal cleaning and hygiene
practices.
Even though you can’t see the effect of Microban®
antimicrobial additives, you can have
confidence that it is continually working to protect your kitchen products, keeping them
cleaner and fresher for longer.