An Affordable Sterilizer for Disinfecting Spoons in Public Dining Halls

N. A. Nikitina (Saratov)

The method used in our public dining halls for washing tableware, particularly spoons, with hot water (no hotter than 40°), followed by a momentary rinsing with boiling water, gives us no assurance or guarantee that they have been completely disinfected. To destroy all microorganisms on spoons, whether wooden or metal, I propose a sterilizer. The sterilizer I have designed is simple, affordable, and requires no special installation; it can be used in any kitchen.

The entire sterilizer, or boiler, consists of two parts.

The first part is a bucket with a lid. The second part is inserted into it: another bucket with holes in its bottom and sides and with lugs that hold it suspended. The second bucket can be made of wire. Its diameter should be somewhat smaller than that of the first, so that it can be easily and freely inserted and removed. The spoons are sterilized by boiling water poured into the first bucket, into which the second bucket, with holes made in it, or a wire basket containing the spoons to be disinfected, is immersed. The boiler is placed on a lit stove or a Primus stove. Complete sterilization of the spoons is achieved by boiling the water for 5 minutes. This period is quite sufficient to kill the most resistant forms of microbial germs,

after which the mesh bucket is lifted by its handles out of the boiling water, and the spoons are tipped onto a clean tray.

Fig. 1. First bucket.
Fig. 2. Second bucket.
Fig. 3. The sterilizer assembled, shown in profile.

The quality of the iron used to construct the sterilizer is immaterial. The buckets may be made of black, tinned, or galvanized sheet iron.

The sterilizer I propose for widespread use was presented to and approved at a production meeting of the Food Inspectorate of the Municipal Health Department and is being introduced in a number of public dining halls in Saratov.