How would you feel if you consumed a great meal then learned afterward that the cook did not wash his hands after sneezing and a hairy dog had slobbered and wagged its way through the kitchen looking for a snack? If that was a restaurant kitchen, it would be closed down by the health department! Yet that's not so uncommon in our homes.

Food-Borne Illness

Beware of the invisible enemy lurking in your kitchen, especially if you have children, an elderly family member, or anyone with a compromised immune system. If you are not careful with food preparation and storage, your food may be a breeding ground for bacteria, including potentially deadly Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Salmonella strains. E.coli bacteria can occur naturally in healthy cattle so it is important to thoroughly cook ground beef and avoid unpasteurized milk. Salmonella is most often found in poultry flesh and eggs, but it can also contaminate most other foods including vegetables.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 200 diseases that can spread through food. A report published in the September 1999 journal Emerging Infectious Diseases revealed that approximately 76 million food-borne illnesses occur in the US each year resulting in more than 300,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths.

If you think your kitchen habits are good enough, consider these findings: a study conducted in 1997 using 106 households in the US and Canada found that 76% suffered cross-contamination, 57% of people did not wash their hands properly, and 29% improperly handled leftovers. Guess who's coming to dinner?

Combating Cross Contamination

Kitchen Tips

We're pretty blasé about our own germs but keep in mind that they don't really belong to us-they do have a life of their own! Once you cough, sneeze or use the bathroom without washing your hands afterwards, you contaminate food, utensils and basically anything you touch. After that the germs are literally out of your hands and into your food. Win the fight against kitchen germs with a few simple tips.

One recent study found that in some homes there was more fecal matter in the kitchen sink than in the toilet bowl! Sounds horrible doesn't it? One solution is to sanitize your kitchen sink by cleaning with soap, putting in the stopper, then pouring in boiling water and allowing it to stand for 5 minutes. An alternative is to use a solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water and allow it to stand for 5 minutes.

If you use sponges to clean counters and sinks, be sure to rinse thoroughly and allow them to dry after each use. Sanitize them daily by putting them in a container with enough water to cover the sponge then microwave it until the water boils. Replace sponges once every two weeks if possible.

Invest in two cutting boards-one for raw foods that require cooking (such as meat) and one for ready-to-eat foods. If you use only one board you may inadvertently cross-contaminate. A quick rinse in hot water is not sufficient. Plastic cutting boards are generally safer than wooden boards; germs cannot seep into the plastic as they can with wood.

Keep counters and cutting boards clean by rinsing them in a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Remember never mix soap and bleach; together they create noxious fumes. You can also put cutting boards in the dishwasher.

Food Preparation and Storing

Restaurants prevent spoiling in the refrigerator by using the FIFO method-first in, first out. The oldest items are always at the front ready to be used first. It is simple to apply this method in your own home.

It's also important to keep raw meat juices from leaking on other food in your refrigerator. You can do this by placing meats on a shallow pan on the lowest shelf.

Bacteria multiply exponentially (one bacteria's cells divide then those two cells divide and so on) at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Most restaurant refrigerators are set at 34 degrees Fahrenheit. You can insure yours stays at the proper temperature by mounting a small thermometer in the center of the refrigerator.

Be sure to refrigerate your leftovers promptly after cooking. Many people develop mysterious "24 hour flu" symptoms that are actually the effects of a mild case of food poisoning from bacteria in their food.

Did you know?

Washing your hands vigorously with soap and water eliminates 95% of bacteria but antibacterial gels eliminate only about 5%.

Although no one wants to become so worried about germs that they stop enjoying food, implementing a few of these kitchen practices can ensure your food is appetizing as well as safe.