Toilet check spots unwashed

Three out of every 10 men you shake hands with won't have washed that hand after going to the toilet.

For women, the figure is fewer than one in 10, a study by Australia's Food Safety Information Council shows.

The study of 200 people who used the public toilets at a food hall in an Australian shopping centre found 29 per cent of men and 8 per cent of women did not wash their hands after using the food hall's bathroom.

Young girls were best at washing and drying their hands correctly, and older men were the worst performers.

"We need to take the time to wash our hands with soap and running water and to dry thoroughly - and to make sure that the rest of our family does as well," council chairman Dr Michael Eyles said yesterday.

"Correct hand washing is an important public health issue, as you might find you and your family may not only get less food poisoning but also fewer viral diseases like colds and flu."

- AAP