Can Money Give You a Foodborne Illness?

I was in the bank recently where the employees were counting cash and coins. One of them was asked by their manager to help another customer after washing her hands. That got me thinking. How many germs are on money? When you consider how many people that dollar bill has touched, from the bank teller to the grocery store, it has to be quite a few. The average one-dollar bill stays in circulation for approximately 6.6 years, a twenty-dollar bill is 7.8 years, and a hundred-dollar bill lasts 22.9 years (1). That is a lot of time to be traveling from pocket to pocket.

In today’s world, food safety is a top concern in many households. From bacteria colonies that cause foodborne illness in our kitchen to the countless germs that live on the money we exchange; food safety must always be maintained to reduce the chances of contracting a foodborne illness.

When it comes to money, bacteria can be a real concern. According to a study performed by researchers at London Metropolitan University, cash can often act as a disease pathway, or vector, due to its widespread use and numerous bacteria colonies. These bacteria can easily be transferred to food and in turn, cause foodborne illness (2).

While it is true that most bacteria that live on money are harmless, some studies have shown that certain bacterial colonies present on money can in fact cause foodborne illnesses. According to a study published in the International Journal of Food Microbiology, it was concluded that the presence of pathogens on cash, such as salmonella, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus, can all lead to foodborne illnesses in cases where infected food is consumed (3).

Banknotes can be made of a cotton and linen blend, which resists tearing, or a polymer blend that is better at resisting tearing, soiling, and absorbing moisture. The cotton/linen notes we use here in the United States are very good at allowing bacteria to multiply. The security features may allow the bacteria to settle in, allowing the bacteria, moisture, and debris to collect, providing the nutrients for the bacteria to grow. Money also is circulated widely throughout the world, causing diseases to spread. Bacteria may be transferred to money in a variety of ways. Anyone who sneezes, coughs, doesn’t wash their hands properly after using the restroom, or lacks access to hygienic living spaces where access to water is limited, can help spread a variety of pathogens to the money in their pocket. Laying money on unhygienic surfaces, or surfaces where there are many touchpoints, such as a counter, cash register, or a table can also allow a variety of germs to be transferred to coins and banknotes (4).

Some viruses, such as influenza, can live on banknotes for 3 to 17 days. Parasites can also lay eggs in notes, which can be transferred to human hands and have the potential to infect the unsuspecting people who handle that money (4).

What can be done to prevent foodborne illnesses caused by potential bacteria, viruses, and parasite eggs on money?

1. Wash your hands frequently, particularly after handling money. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs (5).

2. Try not to touch your face or eyes while handling money. This is because human hands often come into contact with surfaces containing germs, such as money, and if your hands come into contact with your face, you could become infected with the germs you touched (6).

3. Wear disposable gloves when handling money. This is an effective way to protect yourself from germs and microorganisms that may be on the money (6).

4. Clean and sanitize commonly touched surfaces, like countertops, keyboards, doorknobs, cell phones, and ATMs. According to the CDC, cleaning and disinfecting these surfaces regularly will help reduce the risk of getting an infection.

5. Follow clean and sanitary practices when preparing food or using food preparation surfaces. You can find these tips in a previous blog: https://wp.me/pdaNno-B.

Using digital payments can help reduce the transmission of illnesses caused by handling money, as e-payments do not require physical contact with paper money. Studies have shown a decrease in influenza transmission of up to 8.2% after the implementation of e-payment systems (7). Elderly populations can benefit the most from digital payments, as the risk of acquiring illnesses from handling money is typically higher due to weaker immune systems (8). Additionally, e-payment systems have long been shown to be more secure than paper money (9). Overall, e-payment systems can help significantly reduce the number of illnesses caused by handling money.

So, think twice before you pocket that change, and then go wash your hands – especially before digging into that cheeseburger and fries. As always, stay safe, wash your hands, and have a great weekend!

Sources:

1. How long is the lifespan of U.S. paper money? Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, (available at https://www.federalreserve.gov/faqs/how-long-is-the-life-span-of-us-paper-money.htm).
2. 1. P. Matewele, Cash contains potentially life-threatening bacteria, new tests find – London Metropolitan University, (available at https://www.londonmet.ac.uk/news/articles/cash-contains-potentially-life-threatening-bacteria-new-tests-find/).
3. Leviz, G., & Karatasiou, A. (2013). Occurrence of foodborne disease-associated bacteria on paper currency. International Journal of Food Microbiology, 166(3), 394-398. doi:10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2013.06.036

4. Agersew Alemu, “Microbial Contamination of Currency Notes and Coins in Circulation:

A Potential Public Health Hazard.” Biomedicine and Biotechnology, vol. 2, no. 3 (2014): 46-53. doi:

10.12691/bb-2-3-2.

5.https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/when-how-handwashing.html

6. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting

7. Lopez, V. F., Menendez, A., Guerrero, M. T., Pagán, J. A., & Cespedes, R. A. (2018). Payment method and seasonal influenza transmission: A quasiexperimental study. BMC public health, 18(1), 477.

6. Shimada, S., McCoy, D.R., & Sasaki, H. (2015). Benefits of replacing cash with electronic payment systems for elderly populations to assist in reducing influenza transmission. Health Technology, 51(5), 551-556. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12553-015-0073-0

7. Matos, J. R., Meneses, E., & Caicedo, J. C. (2019). Digital payments in Colombia: an overview. INTECH Open Access Publisher.