OFFICE KITCHENS ALIVE WITH DIRTY GERMS ....

COFFEE breaks at work could be a health risk due to dangerous levels of bacteria in staff kitchens, research has revealed.

Tests show more than six in ten cups, spoons, sponges, and teatowels in the kitchens are contaminated with deadly EColi bacteria, which causes food poisoning.

The study was conducted by Victorian company FreshCUP, which makes cup wahing machines.

Company researchers carried out tests on unwashed cups left overnight in office sinks and found them to be contaminated with between 10,000 and 100,000 harmful bacteria colonies.

After washing the cups with a washcloth, the number of bacteria leapt to between 100,000 and one million.

Dr Thomas Tenkate, from the school of public health at the Queensland University of Technology agreed the people should be more aware of germs lurking around the office.

"With lots of people in an office it means no one takes responsibility for cleaning up properly, so the potential for contamination is there and people can become sick" Dr Tenkate said.

"Offices should consider having some sort of internal policy on how often coffee cups and cloths are cleaned, or appointing someone to take responsibility for it" he said.