Risk Of Microbial Contamination Research Articles

Safety and tolerability of ozonated-oils in liposome eyedrop in preterm eye examination.

Eye examinations for ROP screening in preterm newborns are characterized by two main problems: infection control and poor tear secretion. Therefore, in order to reduce the risk of ocular infection and to protect the ocular surface, netilmicin eye drops are usually used after the exams. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ozonated-oils eyedrops during the eye examination of preterm babies in the screening for ROP, sparing the use of antibiotics eyedrops. All newborn infants that needed to be screened for ROP were divided into two groups: in group A we used topical netilmicin eye drops and in group B ozonated-oils eyedrops. We looked for any sign of conjunctival injection and chemosis, infectious conjunctivitis, blepharoconjunctivitis, erythema, and edema of the eyelids. A total of 162 adverse effects out of 3546 examinations (4,5%) were reported acutely: in group A (1778 examinations), they consisted of 47 reactive conjunctivitis, 3 cases of blepharoconjunctivitis, 30 of eyelids swelling, and 3 infectious conjunctivitis, compared to 39 cases of conjunctival injection, 3 blepharoconjunctivitis, 33 eyelids swelling and 4 infectious conjunctivitis in group B (1768 examinations). No significant differences were found in the comparison of the two groups. Ozonated-oils eyedrops should be considered a valid and safe alternative for the lubrification of the ocular surface and an adjuvant strategy to further minimize the risk of microbial contamination during screening for ROP.

Effective Removal of Manure/Mud Balls from Cattle Hides using Thioglycolate Salt Containing Formulations

The effective removal of hardened manure/mud balls from cattle hides remains a challenge for the livestock industry. Hardened manure/mud balls must be removed to minimize the risk of microbial meat contamination and hide quality deterioration. To overcome this challenge, we developed thioglycolic acid and its sodium, potassium and ammonium salts containing formulations. In this study, the developed four formulations were compared based on their efficacy in removing adobe type mud/manure balls from the hides in short time. Hide pieces containing hardened manure/mud balls were soaked in the formulations for 5 minutes followed by gentle brushing to remove the debris. The firmly attached mud/manure balls were removed completely from the hide pieces soaked in sodium, potassium and ammonium thioglycolate containing formulations. However, thioglycolic acid containing formulation did not show that much efficacy and the debris remained attached in the hide pieces soaked in water which was used as a control. Moreover, naturally onboard aerobic bacteria count was significantly reduced along with the mud/manure balls removal from hide pieces. After treatment, the hide pieces were processed into crust shoe leather for quality check analysis including mechanical properties, leather surface analysis and general appearance. The crust leathers made from hide pieces treated with the formulation exhibited similar quality to that made from the control. The implementation of this inventive formulations in slaughterhouses or leather industry will drastically reduce the time consuming and labor-intensive operations currently employed to remove firmly attached debris from cattle hide surface.

Occurrence of foodborne pathogens in Italian soft artisanal cheeses displaying different intra- and inter-batch variability of physicochemical and microbiological parameters.

Artisanal cheeses are produced in small-scale production plants, where the lack of full automation and control of environmental and processing parameters suggests a potential risk of microbial contamination. The aim of this study was to perform a longitudinal survey in an Italian artisanal factory producing a spreadable soft cheese with no rind to evaluate the inter- and intra-batch variability of physicochemical and microbial parameters on a total of 720 environmental and cheese samples. Specifically on cheese samples, the evaluation was additionally performed on physicochemical parameters. Cheese samples were additionally collected during 15 days of storage at constant temperatures of 2 and 8°C, as well as a dynamic profile of 2°C for 5 days and 8°C for 10 days. Furthermore, Enterobacteriaceae isolates were identified at species level to have a better knowledge of the environmental and cheese microbiota potentially harboring human pathogens. High inter-batch variability was observed for lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and total bacteria count (TBC) in cheese at the end of production but not for pH and water activity. A temperature of 8°C was associated with a significantly higher load of Enterobacteriaceae in cheeses belonging to batch 6 at the end of storage, and this temperature also corresponded with the highest increase in LAB and TBC loads over cheese shelf life. Results from generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) indicated that drains in the warm room and the packaging area were associated with higher levels of TBC and Enterobacteriaceae in cheese. Regarding foodborne pathogens, no sample was positive for verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) or Listeria monocytogenes, whereas six Staphylococcus aureus and one Salmonella pullorum isolates were collected in cheese samples during storage and processing, respectively. Regarding Enterobacteriaceae, 166 isolates were identified at species level from all batches, with most isolates belonging to Klebsiella oxytoca and pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, Hafnia alvei, and Citrobacter freundii evidencing the need to focus on standardizing the microbial quality of cow milk and on hygienic procedures for cleaning and disinfection especially in warm and maturation rooms. Further studies should be performed to investigate the potential pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance of the identified Enterobacteriaceae species in artisanal cheeses.

HPLC method with electrochemical detection on gold electrode for simultaneous determination of different antimicrobial agents in cosmetics

Antimicrobial agents are added to a wide variety of products such as cosmetics to reduce the risk of microbial contamination and ensure the suitability and safety of the product. However, recent studies have shown that these compounds can have negative effects on human health and the environment. Therefore, it is crucial to develop analytical methods to control the amount of these compounds in personal care products to guarantee human health and product quality. This paper presents an HPLC method with electrochemical detection using a gold electrode for the determination of the most used antimicrobial agents in cosmetic products: methylparaben (MP), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (4-HBA), phenoxyethanol (PE) and methylisothiazolinone (MIT). For this purpose, the electrochemical response of these compounds was evaluated on the gold electrode. The optimal electrochemical detection of MP, 4-HBA; PE and MIT was performed at pH 2 and + 1.50 V (vs Ag/AgCl). Under the optimal separation and detection conditions, limits of detection (LODs) between 10 and 110 μg L−1 were obtained. These LODs are lower than those previously reported for other HPLC methods with mass spectrometry and diode-array detectors. Cosmetic products with different compositions were successfully analysed with the proposed HPLC method obtaining recoveries between 76 % and 119 %.

Assessing private well user’s attitudes towards chlorination of drinking water

In Canada, those who rely on private wells are at approximately 5.2 times greater risk of contracting enteric illness due to contaminated drinking water than those who rely on municipal water systems (4). In recent years, some communities have expressed opposition towards chlorination and distrust towards health authorities mandating its use (5,6). Given that chlorination of drinking water is a widely used and highly effective method of limiting waterborne illness, the purpose of this research aims to determine if there is a relationship in the public between perception of the health risk of microbial contamination in drinking water versus attitudes towards chlorination among those utilising non-municipal water systems and private wells in Canada.

Efficiency of a multi-barrier household system for surface water treatment combining a household slow sand filter to a Mesita Azul® ultraviolet disinfection device

Low-cost household technologies for water treatment are crucial to improving drinking water quality and preventing health, social and economic impacts, mostly in middle- and low-income regions. This work assessed the removal efficiency of physical-chemical and bacteriological parameters from river water by a multi-barrier household water treatment system for 113 consecutive days. This system combines a pre-treatment step through a non-woven synthetic blanket, filtration by an intermittent household slow sand filter (HSSF) and a Mesita Azul® ultraviolet disinfection device. In general, the water quality was improved by the evaluated system. Turbidity was removed by an average of 73% (ranging from 33 to 94%), total coliforms (TC) of 3.88 log10 (ranging from 2.22 to 5.16 log10) and E. coli of 2.49 log10 (ranging from 1.81 to 3.30 log10). Filtration improvement was mostly correlated to HSSF biofilm development and influent water quality. Characterisation of HSSF schmutzdecke demonstrated a predominance of organic content, and a higher presence of carbohydrates than proteins on the sand and the blanket. Ultraviolet disinfection with Mesita Azul® inactivated most of the remaining bacteria after filtration and no regrowth was observed after 15 days of disinfection. In conclusion, the multi-barrier household water treatment system was efficient in treating river water, reducing risks of microbial contamination to achieve safe drinking water.

THE EFFECT OF DIFFERENT PACKAGING MATERIALS ON THE SANITARY QUALITY AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF TRADITIONALLY PRODUCED PEANUT BUTTER

The study was conducted to determine the microbial and proximate composition of Peanut butter using standard microbiological methods. A total of 40 samples from different vendors of peanut butter were purchases at random. 20 samples were purchased in plastics while 20 were purchased in nylons. Nylon peanut butter was more contaminated than the plastic peanut butter. The organisms isolated include Bacillus sp, Escherichia coli, Serratia sp Enterococcus sp, Staphylococcus sp and Klebsiella sp. Bacillus sp had the highest percentage of occurrence of 35.5% followed by Klebsiella sp and Staphylococcus sp with a percentage frequency of occurrence of 19.4%, respectively. Enterococcus sp had a frequency of 12.9% and Serratia sp had a frequency of 9.7%. While Escherichia coli was the least with a frequency of 3.2%. For fungi, Aspergillus sp, and Penicillium sp were isolated. Aspergillus sp had the highest Percentage of occurrence of 60% and Penicillium sp a percentage occurrence of 40%. The occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in traditionally made peanut butter can be a potential health risk to the consumers, so proper handling of peanut butter during production is encouraged and also proper storage condition and safe usage while using for a prolong period time should be maintained properly to minimize the risk of microbial contamination of the peanut butter as well as the foodborne diseases of the consumers.

Risk Assessment of Drinking Water Supply System of Talesh Based on World Health Organization Water Safety Plan in 2021: A Case Study

Water safety plan (WSP) is a new way to ensure the safety of drinking water by risk assessment and systematic prevention approach. The purpose of this study was to assess the risk and identify hazards from the production source to the point of use and plan to reduce or eliminate these hazards to provide safe drinking water. This study was conducted on the water supply system of Talesh city in 2021. The WSP has 12 stages and the third stage is risk assessment and hazard identification. This stage scored 69 points out of a total of 100 raw points, which indicates 69% coordination with the WSP. Based on the analysis, 47 hazards were identified in production sources, transmission lines, distribution network, and point of use. The presence of domestic sewage wells near the source of supply, undesirable chlorine concentration, and old pipes in the distribution network, as well as the failure of the check valve at the point of consumption are the most important risks. With the implementation of different phases of WSP, especially the stage of identification and assessment of microbial contamination risk in the distribution network, has been decreased to 0% and the desired residual chlorine concentration has been increased to 100%. Currently, water supply system of Talesh has a moderate level of safety.

Assessment of traditional dug well water of Lalitpur metropolitan city in pre-monsoon season

Total 79 water samples were collected from dug wells located in five different municipal wards of Lalitpur Metropolitan City for assessment of water quality during pre-monsoon season. Physico-chemical parameters (temperature, turbidity, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, total hardness (TH), total alkalinity (TA), chloride, nitrate, ammonia and iron) and microbiological parameters (total coliform and protozoan parasites) were determined using standard protocols. The range and mean concentrations of the selected parameters in the water samples were found to vary among the selected wards under investigation. The physico-chemical parameters were compared with National Drinking Water Quality Standard (NDWQS) of Nepal and WHO standards. Parameters like pH, chloride, nitrate and iron were found within the permissible limits of NDWQS and WHO guidelines whereas parameter such as ammonia exceeded the maximum permissible limits. Turbidity, EC and TH however showed variable levels within NDWQS and WHO standards. Total coliform count showed only 4 (5.1%) of the total water samples were risk free whereas 43 (54.4%) samples demonstrated maximum microbial contamination and high risk level. Three types of protozoan parasites viz., Cyclospora, Cryptosporidium and Giardia were detected in the water samples. Among the five municipal wards, W. No. 16 has the highest percentage (66.7%) of total coliform contamination in dug wells. Pearson’s correlation analysis was also performed to understand the relationships among the selected water quality parameters. Presence of total coliform and protozoan parasites and exceeding the maximum permissible limits by some physicochemical parameters shows the water quality of dug wells of Lalitpur Metropolitan City is not satisfactory. But, the quality can be improved by effective treatment technologies, planning and policies, strategies and management practices.

Methylparaben as a preservative in the development of a multi-dose HPV-2 vaccine

ABSTRACT The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is the simplest, most economical, convenient, and effective method of preventing cervical cancer. However, the current HPV vaccine is supplied as a single-dose vial with a relatively high cost per dose, which hinders its supply to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the demand for HPV vaccine is highest. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a multi-dose HPV vaccine to promote large-scale affordable vaccination in LMICs. Moreover, the addition of preservatives is required to reduce the risk of microbial contamination in multi-dose vaccines within a single vial. In this study, we investigated the effects of six preservatives on HPV 16L1 and 18L1 virus-like particles in solution, as well as the aluminum adsorption status, under normal and high-temperature conditions. Multiple methods were employed, including dynamic light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, an in vitro relative potency assay, and an in vivo potency assay in mice. Based on the above results, four types of selected preservatives were further studied, and an antimicrobial effectiveness test was performed on the HPV-2 vaccine, which was employed as a model HPV vaccine. Finally, three preservatives were selected based on their performance to evaluate the long-term stability of the HPV-2 vaccine. The results indicated that 0.12% methylparaben is the most suitable preservative for the multi-dose HPV-2 vaccine, guaranteeing the shelf life for at least three years and meeting “B” standards for antimicrobial effectiveness. The formula developed in this study can contribute toward combating cervical cancer in LMICs.

A practical guide for restoration ecologists to manage microbial contamination risks before laboratory processes during microbiota restoration studies

Environmental microbiota are becoming more conventional components of restoration ecology studies due to their functional importance in ecosystems. Studying these microbiota offers insight into how they respond to, and potentially drive, ecosystem restoration. However, microbes are everywhere and therefore they pose a risk to sample integrity via uncontrolled contamination, and many of these risks are introduced before entering a molecular facility. Field ecologists who have limited experience in microbial and/or molecular studies may lack the knowledge on how to mitigate microbial contamination risks and, accordingly, may find rigorous collection of microbial samples a daunting task. Here, we present a practical guide that builds on our previous paper to help manage the risks of microbial contamination when undertaking a microbiota restoration study prior to entering a molecular facility. We cover study design and planning, undertaking field sampling, and sample transport and storage. We hope to provide a useful and practical guide to restoration ecologists who wish to include a microbiota component in their studies. If done well, this inclusion offers improved research quality and ultimately enhanced restoration outcomes.

Analysis of Key Control Points of Microbial Contamination Risk in Pork Production Processes Using a Quantitative Exposure Assessment Model.

Pork is one of the most common foods causing microbial foodborne diseases. Since pork directly enters the market after slaughtering, the control of microbial contamination in the slaughtering processes is the key to ensuring the quality and safety of pork. The contamination level of Escherichia coli, a health-indicator bacterium, can reflect the risk level of potential pathogens. In order to assess the E. coli exposure risk of pork during slaughtering and to identify the key control points, we established an E. coli quantitative exposure assessment model for swine-slaughtering processes in slaughterhouses of different sizes. The model simulation data indicated the E. coli contamination pattern on the surfaces of swine carcasses during slaughtering. The changes in E. coli contamination were analyzed according to the simulation data of each slaughtering process. It was found that the number of E. coli after trimming in big and small slaughterhouses increased to the maximum values for the whole processes, which were 3.63 and 3.52 log10 CFU/100 cm2, respectively. The risk contribution of each slaughtering process to the E. coli contamination on the surface of terminal swine carcasses can be determined by correlation analysis. Because the absolute value of correlation coefficient during the trimming process was maximum (0.49), it was regarded as the most important key control point. This result can be further proved via the multilocus sequence typing of E. coli. The dominant sequence type before trimming processes was ST10. ST1434 began to appear in the trimming process and then became the dominant sequence type in the trimming and pre-cooling processes. The model can provide a theoretical basis for microbial hygiene supervision and risk control in swine-slaughtering processes.

Effects of a brief blanching process on quality, safety, and shelf life of refrigerated cucumber pickles.

Refrigerated pickles are characterized by crisp, crunchy texture, opaque flesh, and fresh flavor. Typically produced without a thermal process, microbial safety relies on preventive controls, brine composition, and sufficient hold time prior to consumption. We hypothesized that brief blanching of whole cucumbers prior to pickling could provide an additional hurdle for pathogenic microbes without negatively impacting finished product quality. Blanch treatments (15, 90, or 180 s) in 80°C water were conducted in duplicate on two lots of cucumbers prior to cutting into spears, acidifying, and storing at 4°C. Enumeration of total aerobes, lactic acid bacteria, and glucose-fermenting coliforms was conducted for fresh and blanched cucumber. Texture, color, cured appearance development, and volatile compound profiles were analyzed for fresh and blanched cucumber and corresponding pickle products during refrigerated storage. The 90 s blanch consistently achieved a minimum 2-log reduction in cucumber microbiota and a predicted 5-log reduction of Escherichia coli O157:H7 up to 1.1mm into the cucumber fruit. Blanching had no impact on tissue firmness during refrigerated storage for 1 year (p>0.098). There were no differences in flavor-active lipid oxidation products (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal and (E)-2-nonenal, and consumers (n=110) were unable to differentiate between control and 90 s blanched cucumber pickles stored for 62 days. Exocarp color and mesocarp opacity were preserved by the blanching treatment, potentially extending product shelf life. This method offers processors an option for reducing the risk of microbial contamination while maintaining the quality attributes associated with refrigerated cucumber pickles. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Refrigerated pickles do not undergo thermal processing, which can leave them vulnerable to microbial contamination. This study illustrates that adding a brief blanching step in refrigerated pickle processing can reduce indigenous microbiota without negatively impacting quality attributes. This blanching process could assist pickled vegetable manufacturers in providing additional safeguards for consumers while maintaining a high-quality product.

Impact of conformational change of immunoglobulin G induced by silver ions on Escherichia coli and macrophage adhesion to biomaterial surfaces

Silver ions (Ag+) are widely employed in biomedical devices and implants to minimize the risk of microbial contamination owing to their superior antibacterial properties. Surface adsorption of serum proteins occurs within seconds after biomaterials come into contact with the blood and is a decisive step prior to cell-surface interactions. However, investigation on the interactions between Ag+ and serum proteins, and the impact of such interactions on the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory performance of biomaterials are critical but rather scarce. In this study, using TiSiN/Ag coatings as a model, in vitro investigation was performed to explore the synergistic effect of Ag+ and immunoglobulin G (IgG), one of the major serum proteins involved in primary immune responses towards bacterial infections, on Escherichia coli and macrophage adhesion to biomaterial surfaces. The molecular interactions between Ag+ and IgG were further explored using dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results show that the presence of Ag+ altered the impact of IgG on E. coli and macrophage adhesion from promotion to inhibition. DLS, AFM and CD analyses further disclosed that the existence of Ag+ altered the secondary structure of the Fab and Fc domains of IgG from the typical β-sheet structure to random coils, and changed the “Y” structure of IgG into a linear structure, accounting for the switch of the role of IgG. These results would give insights into the interactions between Ag+ and IgG, and provide guidance for more rational design of antibacterial biomaterial surfaces.

Low risk for microbial contamination of syringe and tube feeding bag surfaces after multiple reuses with home blenderized tube feeding.

Guidelines for the reuse of enteral tube feeding (ETF) equipment guidelines are limited to manufacturer recommendations. ETF equipment reuse studies are needed as the enteral population has increased, along with blenderized tube feeding (BTF). This experiment tested microbial contamination of a reusable gravity feeding bag and syringe after 15 BTF reuses and cleanings. Eight bags and syringes were filled with the BTF, held at room temperature for 20 min, and then emptied, washed, and air dried. After the last air drying, the inner surfaces of the bag and syringe were swabbed, and aerobic microbial counts were performed using serial dilutions and plate counts. The microbial counts for all syringes and six bags were <1 colony-forming unit (CFU)/cm2 ; one bag was <5 CFU/cm2 and one bag was 12.5 CFU/cm2 . No legal guidelines for surface cleanliness exist for the food sector. Several studies propose a safe microbial level to be <2.5 CFU/cm2 , and the European Commission recommended <10 CFU/cm2 . Based on these proposed guidelines, microbial counts of all syringes and seven bags were within the proposed guidelines, except for one bag just above 10 CFU/cm2 . The feeding bag used in this study may be used multiple times for BTF with a reduced risk of microbial contamination when manufacturer's cleaning guidelines are followed. Although bolus tube feeding is an off-label use for syringes, they are frequently used for BTF, and in this study the cleaning after 15 uses over 5 days was effective to reduce microbial counts.

Microbial contamination and fast quantitative risk assessment of retail Chinese salads in Huzhou City

Microbial contamination and fast quantitative risk assessment of retail Chinese salads in Huzhou City

Sustainable Use of Apple Pomace (AP) in Different Industrial Sectors.

In many countries, apple pomace (AP) is one of the most produced types of agri-food waste (globally, it is produced at a rate of ~4 million tons/year). If not managed properly, such bio-organic waste can cause serious pollution of the natural environment and public health hazards, mainly due to the risk of microbial contamination. This review shows that AP can be successfully reused in different industrial sectors—for example, as a source of energy and bio-materials—according to the idea of sustainable development. The recovered active compounds from AP can be applied as preservatives, antioxidants, anti-corrosion agents, wood protectors or biopolymers. Raw or processed forms of AP can also be considered as feedstocks for various bioenergy applications such as the production of intermediate bioenergy carriers (e.g., biogas and pyrolysis oil), and materials (e.g., biochar and activated carbon). In the future, AP and its active ingredients can be of great use due to their non-toxicity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. Given the increasing mass of produced AP, the commercial applications of AP could have a huge economic impact in the future.

Standardizing Patient-Derived Organoid Generation Workflow to Avoid Microbial Contamination From Colorectal Cancer Tissues.

The use of patient-derived organoids (PDO) as a valuable alternative to in vivo models significantly increased over the last years in cancer research. The ability of PDOs to genetically resemble tumor heterogeneity makes them a powerful tool for personalized drug screening. Despite the extensive optimization of protocols for the generation of PDOs from colorectal tissue, there is still a lack of standardization of tissue handling prior to processing, leading to microbial contamination of the organoid culture. Here, using a cohort of 16 patients diagnosed with colorectal carcinoma (CRC), we aimed to test the efficacy of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), penicillin/streptomycin (P/S), and Primocin, alone or in combination, in preventing organoid cultures contamination when used in washing steps prior to tissue processing. Each CRC tissue was divided into 5 tissue pieces, and treated with each different washing solution, or none. After the washing steps, all samples were processed for organoid generation following the same standard protocol. We detected contamination in 62.5% of the non-washed samples, while the use of PBS or P/S-containing PBS reduced the contamination rate to 50% and 25%, respectively. Notably, none of the organoid cultures washed with PBS/Primocin-containing solution were contaminated. Interestingly, addition of P/S to the washing solution reduced the percentage of living cells compared to Primocin. Taken together, our results demonstrate that, prior to tissue processing, adding Primocin to the tissue washing solution is able to eliminate the risk of microbial contamination in PDO cultures, and that the use of P/S negatively impacts organoids growth. We believe that our easy-to-apply protocol might help increase the success rate of organoid generation from CRC patients.

Biocide Use in the Beverage Industry: Consumers’ Knowledge and Label Preferences Relating to the Need and Usefulness of Biocides with Particular Reference to Dairy Beverage Products in New Zealand and China

Biocides, in the form of sanitisers and disinfectants, are used extensively to reduce the risk of microbial contamination to beverage products and to ensure the safety of potable water used in processing. To better understand consumers’ perceptions of biocide use and to explore messaging strategies regarding their importance to ensure product safety, eight focus groups were conducted in New Zealand (n = 4) and China (n = 4). Consumers generally did not understand why or how biocides were used. In both countries, their most trustworthy source of information on biocide use was government sources. New Zealand and Chinese participants did not like the word “biocide” mentioned on labels due to its perceived negative connotations. Interestingly, acceptance for the word was higher if the phrase “environmentally friendly” was simultaneously communicated. The findings from this study have provided the beverage industry with guidance on how best to initiate conversations with consumers on the use of biocides.

Electrochemical modification of high contact stainless steel 304 surfaces for antimicrobial applications

High-contact or high-touch surfaces are usually associated with higher risk of microbial contamination and subsequent infection, especially during global pandemics. Previous studies have shown that changing the surface roughness or topography at the micro or even nano-scale to enrich antimicrobial properties on the high-contact surfaces has been widely considered. In this work, we have used electrochemical techniques to modify the surface of metals that are commonly used in high contact situations such as stainless steel 304 (SS304). The aim of this study was to systematically elucidate the optimal electrochemical parameters such as anodizing current density and electrolyte composition needed for different types of metals. Surface morphology and topography profiles were observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Fabricated surface nanostructures were studied to evaluate the effect it has on the antimicrobial properties. The colony forming units with Escherichia coli were investigated. The results indicated that SS304 anodized at 3.5 V for 20 mins resulted in the fabrication of nanostructures up to 556 nm in size and was the optimized candidate due to its highest surface roughness (Ra) of 262.28 nm and 52.6% reduction of bacterial adhesion after 24 h incubation.