A new study suggests that harmful bacteria not only thrive on raw and wet foods but also on dry ones like cookies and cracker sandwiches. These foods can be providing a hospitable environment for harmful microorganisms like Salmonella that can suggestively last for a couple of months.

The study was initiated after outbreaks of dry foods-related diseases were noted. A team of researchers from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences of the University of Georgia, spearheaded by Larry Beauchat, discovered that dry food can be a potential habitat for dangerous microbes for a long period of time.

The study investigated five various isolated serotypes of salmonella obtained from very low moisture content of previous outbreaks. They placed the Salmonella in four different flavored fillings, cheese and peanut butter for cracker sandwiches and chocolate and vanilla for the cookies, and stored them.

After storing, researchers found that although the Salmonella did survive in all the fillings. The microbes tend to live longer in cookies compared with those in cracker sandwiches. In fact, some instance even reached an unexpected duration of at least six months.

Given this breakthrough, scientists are more knowledgeable of the potential length of time Salmonella and even other foodborne microorganisms live in low water activity foods. Furthermore, they are now considering possible solutions to prevent future contamination and epidemic.

Beuchat suggests of conceivably testing all the ingredients to determine which among them harbors the pathogens. Then, the next solution is to possibly find ways to halt use of those specific contents.

"The ability of Salmonella to survive for at least 182 days in fillings of cookie and cracker sandwiches demonstrates a need to assure that filling ingredients do not contain the pathogen and that contamination does not occur during manufacture," Beuchat said.