6 Kitchen Hygiene Tips

Now that Christmas is over the clean up begins. That is the worst part, in my opinion! I often think of healthy or clean cooking as food containing healthy and natural ingredients, but there is another way to look at healthy cooking – by having a clean, bacteria free kitchen! 

When cleaning up last night I found the facts from the Hygiene Council to be helpful and honestly a bit frightening. 

Did you Know? 50-80% of food-borne illnesses happen in the home. 

Scary isn't it! We are always cautious where we eat when we are out of the home, due to cleanliness, but often don’t stop to think about what is lurking around our very own kitchens. 

I thought I’d share with you a few things we do to keep things germ free; as well as some Hygiene Council facts (in bold)!

1. Hand washing 

“Bacteria can survive on surfaces for long periods of time. They can then be transferred to other surfaces (including the hands) in sufficient numbers to represent an infection risk.” 
Before anyone touches any food or drink wash your hands with warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds then dry them on a clean, dry towel. 

2. Surface Prep 

“Poor hygiene and food preparation can cause up to 90% of kitchen surfaces to be contaminated during the preparation of a meal.” 
To ensure that your food prep surface is clear of harmful bacteria and viruses try using an antibacterial product that is safe to use on food areas. Use this on all counters and cutting boards.

3. Clean Fruits and Veggies

"Your kitchen sink contains 100,000 times more germs than a bathroom or lavatory.” 
So before you soak, scrape, brush and wash your fruit and vegetables be sure to clean your sink well. 

4. Prevent Cross-contamination 

By using different knives and cutting boards for meat and vegetables we are able to prevent cross-contamination. 

5. Dealing with leftovers 

The Hygiene Council recommends you "reheat leftovers (at 70°C or above) and re-serve leftovers only once."
After eating we are quick on the cleanup (because the mess drives me mental). We never leave leave cooked food sitting at room temperature for longer than the recommended two hours. 

6. Post event cleanup 

"52% of kitchen taps found to be contaminated with harmful bacteria like Ecoli. High chairs or places where children eat have worse levels of bacteria than toilet flushes."
Again, the mess drives me crazy so we give everything a good clean, food prep areas, eating surfaces and the sink.  

I hope these tips help keep you and your family in good health. Is there anything you do to make sure you keep your house as germ free as possible?

Disclosure: I am part of the Lysol® Healthy Families Ambassador Program by Mom Central. I received compensation as part of my affiliation with this group. The opinions on this blog are my own.

Image courtesy of sxc.hu/poison-yvi