Monday, December 15, 2008

Basic Kitchen Hygiene

We all know what hygiene is, and I’m sure we all use it when we cook. But there are some things I didn’t know until I took a food handler’s class about twelve years ago. With the holidays upon us and the high likelihood that we’ll be cooking for company, I figure a quick refresher is in order.

1. Of course, remember to wash your hands frequently while cooking. That one almost goes without saying.

2. When handling raw meat, be sure not to touch vegetables, breads, or anything that could become contaminated by the bacteria on the meat. Especially be careful not to grasp cupboard or drawer handles, or the fridge handle. When you’re done handling the meat, wash your hands extra long with hot water and antibacterial soap.

3. We all know that licking our fingers is taboo, but you’d be amazed how many people do it anyway. When cooking for company, it’s especially important to avoid this almost subconscious habit. With our own families, we get away with it because in a family, we’re more accustomed to each other’s germs. As my sister says, “We all have the same germs. They’re just different flavors.” But when you’re cooking for company, and they’re not used to your germs, you run a higher risk of making them sick. Plus, it’s just yucky. So knock it off!

4. If you’re putting something hot in the fridge, don’t seal it with a lid or a tight wrapping of tin foil or plastic wrap. The steam has to escape. If the steam can’t escape, the food doesn’t come down in temperature quickly enough, and you’re running the risk of growing your own botulism or other food bacteria in your own fridge. If you can, allow the item to cool somewhat on the counter before placing it in the fridge, but not too long, or it can go bad on your counter.

5. Eggs are sensitive. If your eggs are getting near their expiration date, it’s best to throw them out than to trust the date implicitly. I’ve gotten very sick on eggs the day before they were set to expire, so I always throw mine out a few days ahead of time. The fresher the egg, the better!

6. Wipe your counters and other work surfaces carefully with an antibacterial cleaner between each use. If you’re making a salad, and then rolls, and then a dessert, wipe that counter between each dish. But also make sure that you’re not getting cleaner into the food.

7. If you need to sneeze or cough, bury your face in your sleeve. The germs become trapped in the fabric and don’t spread to the food. If you do use your hand, wash that hand immediately before doing anything else. There’s a great video about this here.

All of this is common sense, and I doubt I surprised you with new information. But it never hurts to be reminded, especially at this time of year when germs are having the time of their lives! Let’s put an end to their party so we can continue with ours.

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7 comments:

Nichole Giles said...

Good points. Thanks for the reminders.

Nichole

ali cross said...

That was great Tristi, thanks! Some of it, I didn't know ... like the putting hot dishes in the fridge thing.

So, thanks!

Keith N Fisher said...

yeah I have a food handlers permit. I enjoyed the class.

Anonymous said...

did you know that you can check whether your eggs are good by putting them in a bowl full of cool water? If they float, they've gone bad. If they sink and bounce off the bottom of the bowl, they're just fine.

If in doubt, float it!

Tristi Pinkston said...

Now I want to go float some eggs ...

Danyelle Ferguson said...

These are excellent tips, Tristi! After getting food poisoning twice after cooking chicken dishes, I've become super careful about washing my hands after touching the chicken and being careful not to touch other stuff. If In need to open a drawer, I rip off a sheet of paper towel first so I don't touch the drawer directly. Then be sure to throw the towel away so now one else uses it for something else.

Jennifer @ Fruit of My Hands said...

#2--I am so paranoid about meat, veggies, cross contamination. I become a crazy person, lol. I usually make DH handle the raw meat.

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