Shopping Centre Food Court Metagenome. uncultured bacterium

Investigation of bacterial communities on tables and cleaning equipment in a shopping centre food court. Swabs of tables at shopping centre food court and extraction of bacteria from cleaning cloth at same food court. The overall aim of the study was to determine if the numbers and types of bacteria present on food court tables and food court cleaning equipment pose a potential public health risk. The specific objectives were to count aerobic heterotrophs on individual tables and on cleaning equipment, to compare the types of bacteria on the tables and the cleaning equipment, to detect potential pathogens, to detect faecal indicator organisms, and to compare a direct DNA extraction method with a culture-based method.