Six Kitchen Safety
Secrets To Live By!
We all agree that cooking food requires some skill and degree of kitchen safety.
But do we all remember that safety also includes keeping the preparation area clean?
Bacteria is the number one criminal and even if your preparation surface looks clean, the question is.... is it?
I recently went to my local Bed Bath & Beyond(r) store.
I was surprised to see they had a huge section of the store dedicated to kitchen items.
From small appliances to knives, pots/pans etc... they even have those disposable cutting surfaces as well as cleaning solutions for your home... all good...
However, if you do not clean your cutting surfaces after each use, you are asking for some trouble!
Bacteria can be a real show stopper for you!
If you consume tainted food you can either get a mild case of indigestion or spend a time in the Emergency Room.
For example, I spent over 22 years in the Military and I can tell you one thing - everyone eats a bit of dirt, but if your entire company starts to experience stomach trouble you are in a reduced readiness status and that can be a real problem in a combat zone.
The effectiveness of your unit is reduced, people can get injured, and I might at add, there just are not enough leaves in the forest or medicine with your PA if you are remote!
As a logistics officer it was my responsibility to manage the physical assets of the organization.
In addition, I had to insure our mess facilities were up to cleanliness standards set forth by the U.S. Army/Surgeon General of the United States. And when you have five individual Mess facilities, the job is constant.
Not an easy task when your messing facilities are operating 24/7, but it is doable.
Sanitation is job one of everyone and if you can make your staff fully aware of the issues that bacteria can create it does help in the long run!
So given the topic, here are my Six Kitchen Safety Preparation Secrets to keeping your family safe and eating well.
Kitchen Safety Secrets
- - Always use a cutting surface
- - Use a specific cutting surface for poultry and beef. If you don’t have different types, follow secret tip number 3 below.
- - Rinse and scrub your meat cutting surfaces with a brush and hot water (especially when preparing different cuts of meat).
- - Never use a meat knife with vegetables unless you clean it first.
- - Scrub wood utensils and cutting boards with a bleach-like hot soapy solution and rinse well with hot water.
- - Rinse everything well in hot water prior to using.
In addition, if you are taking care of elderly parents and they insist on helping with cleanup, always, always rinse the utensils and check for leftover food particles and remove them prior to using.
You will hear about their problem and insist it was your cooking that caused their distress.
Should you want to know more you can find great information at Home Food Safety.gov.
Bon-Appetite!
Return to Easy Everyday Cooking Recipes.
