Developed nations’ currency notes have less bacteria

SYNDEY - Researchers have found currency notes in developed countries to have fewer bacteria than money in poorer countries.

Led by University of Ballarat’s food microbiologist Frank Vriesekoop, a global research team analysed banknotes from at least 10 nations, including Australia, China, Ireland, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Britain and the US.

“The richer and more developed countries had fewer bacteria on their money than poorer countries,” Vriesekoop said, according to the journal Foodborne Pathogens and Disease.

“Importantly, nowhere in the world were alarming levels of pathogenic bacteria found on money, Vrieselkoop added.

A total of 1,280 banknotes were collected from food outlets such as foodshops and cafeterias and then carefully screened to ascertain the presence of bacteria, says a Ballarat release.

The international study included researchers from 10 universities and research institutes.

“The older notes are more wrinkled, so dirt and bacteria can easily nestle in the folds of the notes,” Vriesekoop said.

“The material the banknotes are made of was also found to be important. In most countries, banknotes are made from a cotton based material. But in Australia, New Zealand and Mexico - the banknotes are made from a polymer (plastic) material.”

“We found that notes made from polymer material carried significantly less bacteria compared to the notes made of cotton,” Vriesekoop added.