It is officially summertime and with this season comes the opportunity to entertain company, barbeque, and just have more people in our kitchens.  This is a good time to discuss how you can have a cleaner, safer kitchen and below are some ideas.

 

1. Your refrigerator

A temperature of 40°F or less is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria. The fewer bacteria there are, the less likely you are to get sick from them.

 

2. Perishable foods

Date leftovers so they can be used within two to three days.  If in doubt, throw it out!

 

3. What's the most unsanitary spot in your house?

Hint: Not necessarily the toilet.  It is used to clean your kitchen countertops!  The most germ-laden object in your home is actually your sponge or your dishrag. What's in that sponge or rag? Five major causes of food-borne illness, like salmonella, E.coli, campylobacter, clostridium perfringens, and staphylococcus.

 

4. Kitchen dishcloths and sponges

Wash with a solution of one-teaspoon chlorine bleach to one-quart water, or use a commercial sanitizing agent, following product directions. Also place your sponges in the dishwater to be washed as well.

 

Sanitize your kitchen dishcloths and sponges regularly.  Many cooks use dishcloths or sponges to mop up areas where they have worked with uncooked meat and then reuse the cloth or sponge in other kitchen areas after minimal rinsing. A contaminated dishcloth can house millions of bacteria after a few hours. Consider using paper towels to clean up and then throw them away immediately. Wash hands carefully after handling raw meat.

 

5. Kitchen counters

Clean kitchen counters and other surfaces that come in contact with food with hot water and detergent or a solution of bleach and water. Bleach and commercial cleaning agents are best for getting rid of pathogens. Hot water and detergent do a good job, too, but may not kill all strains of bacteria. Keep sponges and dishcloths clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may encourage their growth.

 

6. Cutting boards

Wash your cutting board with soap and hot water after each use. Consider using the new plastic ones or glass ones.  Wood cutting boards can be cut easily and germs live in those cuts. Never allow raw meat, poultry, and fish to come in contact with other foods on your cutting board. Washing your cutting board with only a damp cloth will not remove bacteria. Periodically washing in a bleach solution is the best way to prevent bacteria from remaining on your cutting board.

 

7. Cooking meats

Cook ground beef, red meats and poultry products until they are no longer red in the middle. Make sure the juices run clear.  Cooking food, including ground meat patties, to an internal temperature of at least 160 ° F usually protects against illness. Well-done meats reach that temperature.  Ground beef can be contaminated with potentially dangerous E. coli 0157:H7 bacteria.  The US Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) advised consumers on June 10, 1997 to use a meat thermometer when cooking hamburger and not rely on the internal color of the meat to be sure it is safe to eat. This change resulted from research that indicates some ground meat may turn prematurely brown before a safe internal temperature of 160° F is reached.

 

7. Mixes containing egg

Many older cookbooks have recipes for ice cream, mayonnaise, eggnog and some desserts that call for raw eggs. These recipes are no longer recommended because of the risk of Salmonella. The commercial versions of these products are made with pasteurized eggs (eggs that have been sufficiently heated to kill bacteria) and are not a food hazard.

 

8. Washing dishes by hand

Allow dishes and utensils to air-dry in order to eliminate re-contamination from hands or towels. When washing dishes by hand, it’s best to wash them all within two hours before bacteria can begin to form.

 

9. Washing hands

Wash hands with soap and warm water immediately after handling raw meat, poultry, or fish. Wash for at least 20 seconds before and after handling food, especially raw meat. If you have an infection or cut on your hands, wear rubber or plastic gloves.

 

10. Defrosting meats

Defrost meat, poultry and fish products in the refrigerator, microwave oven, or cold water that is changed every 30 minutes. Follow package directions for thawing foods in the microwave. Cook microwave-defrosted food immediately after thawing. Changing water every 30 minutes when thawing foods in cold water ensures that the food is kept cold, an important factor for slowing bacterial growth on the outside while inner areas are still thawing. Do not put meat on the kitchen counter to defrost!   Defrost in the refrigerator. 

 

Here is to a happy and safe summer!