Kitchen Safety & Hygiene: Tips & Rules for Home Chefs

[esavvymom]

I am putting this thread here in Team Training- because I thought about how many consultants (new and old) who probably could use a little training or tips or something in this area. We all know that many consultants start this biz and don't know much or anything about cooking. So it stands to reason they may not realize the "rules" and the safety with regards to Kitchen Hygiene. What may be common sense to someone else may be unheard of to another....I'm not perfect! I do try- and have some very basic rules for my kitchen, and how I handle things (like meat). Four years ago, I was very ill with Salmonella from raw chicken (which actually was handled badly at the grocery store and when I got it home- it had made a huge mess in my grocery bag and it splashed my face when I took it out...I think that's how I got sick- cleaning it all up.). It has taken me YEARS to be close to what I'd call fully recovered!! I don't mess around with that stuff! makes me very upset when others don't get it.... SO...this thread is to share tips on Kitchen Rules of Safety and Hygiene! Our customers are watching! (I know I would be!)Please add your tips and "rules"/pet-peeves, etc...so we can all learn and stay safe for ourselves and our customers. So here's my first - I found this article on Jamie Oliver's website:
http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution/get-cooking

Kitchen Hygiene


Imagine for a minute that you're making chicken and salad for dinner. If you chop your chicken up on a
board before you cook it, and then use the same knife and board to prepare your salad, the salad will
be contaminated with bacteria from the uncooked chicken. This is called 'cross-contamination' and here
are the golden rules for avoiding it:

• After preparing raw meat or fish on a chopping board, give the board a good scrub in really hot
water to kill the bacteria, with a little dish detergent get rid of any grease. Wash the knife and your
hands thoroughly. (Pause for PC side-note -When doing our demos- try to have two separate cutting boards AND knives that touch the raw meat vs veggies. Or actually stop or have someone wash the board/knife)

• Wash your vegetables and fresh herbs before you use them, even if they don't look dirty. Peel
any vegetables that need peeling over the sink and give them a good rinse before you use them.

• Store raw meat and fish on the bottom shelf of your fridge, and food that is ready to be eaten on
the shelves above. This means that raw foods can’t drip on to cooked foods and cross-contaminate
them. If you handle raw eggs, give your hands a good wash afterwards.

• Serve cooked food with clean implements that haven’t touched anything raw or dirty. It’s a scary
thing to see the same tongs that put raw chicken on the barbecue one minute lift the cooked chicken off
a few minutes later!

• Wash your hands after touching anything that might have bacteria on it, like the trash can or the
dog, and never forget to wash your hands after going to the bathroom! • Keep your work surfaces clean and clutter free. Wipe everything down regularly with
antibacterial kitchen spray and wash your kitchen towel or sponge scourer in hot soapy water, as it
can harbor germs too.

Here are some other tips to keep you clean and safe in the kitchen:
Preparing food in advance is fine but remember to store it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
When you’re putting things in the fridge, get yourself some Tupperware so things are nicely sealed and
your food is protected.
It’s important to keep not just your surfaces clean, but also your dishwasher and sink.
Clear out your fridge regularly and keep the shelves nice an clean.
Clean the trash can and trash can area on a regular basis.
Keep your condiment bottles clean by giving them a quick wipe before putting them back in your fridge or
cupboard.
It’s a good idea to remove jewelery, wear a clean apron and roll up your sleeves before you start
preparing food.
If you’ve got long hair, then tie it back before you start cooking and try not to touch your hair or face as
you go. (I USE OUR TWIX-IT CLIPS!!)

 

[RMDave]

Great tips, Bobbi. Thank you so much.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I also shudder when I see someone with long fake fingernails touching food that is going to be eaten. (think Paula Deen) Bacteria and germs are harbored under fingernails, and if they are long and painted, you can't see how dirty they may be...ughhhh, it makes me nauseous just thinking about it...:yuck:

Because I work with food, I always keep my fingernails short - and that is also why I wear gloves when dealing with raw meats...it's especially easy to transfer that bacteria to under your fingernails, and unless you are scrubbing really good, you aren't going to get rid of it. :yuck::yuck::yuck:

 

[baychef]

Or actually stop or have someone wash the board/knife)
You have ONLY cleaned the debris off...if there are any food borne illness bacteria on this board..they are STILL there. You need to sanitize the board after it is washed and rinsed. It needs to soak in a bleach and very warm water (not steaming hot) solution for 1 minute and then AIR DRY.

It is easier to just bring a second board, then properly clean and sanitize at home. (I do this for a living and this is the Restaurant Association proper food handling...not a guaranteed that restaurants follow this, however).

http://www.fightbac.org/content/view/6/11/

Is a much better site. Jamie's ideas a basic, but the chefs you see on tv are horrible at handling food without gloves. Their hands need to be pretty for tv. Our hands have to be clean for actually food consumption.

Also a good one is:
FoodSafety.gov

 

[raebates]

Yes, the customers are watching. I did a show a few years ago, back when I always made a recipe at the show. Afterward a guest came up to me and said she was really glad she'd come. She'd refused to go to PC shows for a few years. Seems the last show she'd attended the consultant answered every, "How do you clean that?" question with, "Just rinse it and put it away." The guest told me that the consultant didn't seem worried about cross-contamination. She refused to eat anything the consultant had prepared. She was pleased with the way I answered questions (wash it well; it's dishwasher safe; etc.). She like the way I was continually slipping used items into a nearby sink filled with soapy water. (I was working at a kitchen island with an adjacent sink that time. Otherwise I used a dish pan to collect the dirty stuff.) She could tell I was clean. She's been a good customer ever since.

 

[baychef]

I had one new consultant (years ago) who's first show was at her daughter's house (so she was extra relaxed!!) The living conditions were far from clean (oh trust me I am not anal...in fact my house is a WRECK right now!) but she licked her fingers continuously and then wiped them on her dish cloth :yuck::yuck: It was a difficult thing to approach but she really was not very aware of what she was doing!

 

[chefsteph07]

I'd also like to add a HUGE peeve for me personally, and that is PLEASE do NOT wash that cutting board that you just cut up chicken with or the bowl that you just prepared your meatloaf with the SAME SPONGE as you wash your regular dishes! When I am washing out my "meatloaf bowls" or "chicken bowls", I ALWAYS use a paper towl w/ antibacterial soap and then throw that paper towl away!

I have COUNTLESS friends who invite me to their house for dinner or what not and then when I see them cleaning up after dinner, they are just using their sponge on EVERYTHING! :yuck:

Makes me wonder about what I just ate!

 

[debbie mc]

Or actually stop or have someone wash the board/knife)
You have ONLY cleaned the debris off...if there are any food borne illness bacteria on this board..they are STILL there. You need to sanitize the board after it is washed and rinsed. It needs to soak in a bleach and very warm water (not steaming hot) solution for 1 minute and then AIR DRY.

Ann, sorry but I have a huge problem with bleach/ javex, etc.....it is full of chemicals and the thought of letting that dry on anything that will come in contact with future food preparation makes me shudder.:yuck::yuck: I use vinegar for anything/ everything that is commonly suggested as a "bleach/ javex" job. Vinegar is 100% natural product/ chemical free and will kill bacteria of any kind.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Or actually stop or have someone wash the board/knife)
You have ONLY cleaned the debris off...if there are any food borne illness bacteria on this board..they are STILL there. You need to sanitize the board after it is washed and rinsed. It needs to soak in a bleach and very warm water (not steaming hot) solution for 1 minute and then AIR DRY.

Ann, sorry but I have a huge problem with bleach/ javex, etc.....it is full of chemicals and the thought of letting that dry on anything that will come in contact with future food preparation makes me shudder.:yuck::yuck: I use vinegar for anything/ everything that is commonly suggested as a "bleach/ javex" job. Vinegar is 100% natural product/ chemical free and will kill bacteria of any kind.

In the kitchen, I use a vinegar/water mixture also.

 

[babywings76]

I clean off the chicken debris with hot soapy water and a scraper and a scrubby sponge and then run it through my dishwasher.

 

[babywings76]

"• Serve cooked food with clean implements that haven’t touched anything raw or dirty. It’s a scary
thing to see the same tongs that put raw chicken on the barbecue one minute lift the cooked chicken off
a few minutes later! "YES! This is a huge one that I see people overlook! My parents will just rinse off their platter. I always will go over and swipe it and then wash it good or bring them out a new one. They roll their eyes at me. This is another reason why I am trying to figure out the logistics of using the grill press. The instructions don't tell you to clean it in between flipping your meat. But, if it was just in contact with raw meat and then you flip it and put the press back on it, you are putting those germs right back on top of the cooked side.

 

[chefsteph07]

"• Serve cooked food with clean implements that haven’t touched anything raw or dirty. It’s a scary
thing to see the same tongs that put raw chicken on the barbecue one minute lift the cooked chicken off
a few minutes later! "

YES! This is a huge one that I see people overlook! My parents will just rinse off their platter. I always will go over and swipe it and then wash it good or bring them out a new one. They roll their eyes at me.

This is another reason why I am trying to figure out the logistics of using the grill press. The instructions don't tell you to clean it in between flipping your meat. But, if it was just in contact with raw meat and then you flip it and put the press back on it, you are putting those germs right back on top of the cooked side.

Hmmm...interesting about the grill press, have not thought about THAT one, but you are RIGHT!

 

[babywings76]

Oh, and we really need to mention pet hair! I try to bring with me a clean sponge, soap, and hand towels. This way I'm prepared to wash my dishes if that's what I'm going to do that show, but also I can be sure to have the ability to wash the table and counters that I'll be using. Even if my host just scrubbed her home, if she has pets, you bet I'm washing the table and counter. I don't obsess and go nuts about cleaning someone's whole kitchen, just my work area. I just do it as a habit that ensures that I won't find mystery hairs on my products---because it has happened to me before where I'm using my cutting board and all of a sudden I see cat hair (this from a host who appeared to have just cleaned her house). :yuck:

 

[PCJenni]

I always have 2 cutting boards, 1 for meat and 1 for everything else. Also, use your hold N slice for the meat, it sells! I also sell multiple custting boards at a time because people see me using and talking about them.

 

[baychef]

Ann, sorry but I have a huge problem with bleach/ javex, etc.....it is full of chemicals and the thought of letting that dry on anything that will come in contact with future food preparation makes me shudder.:yuck::yuck: I use vinegar for anything/ everything that is commonly suggested as a "bleach/ javex" job. Vinegar is 100% natural product/ chemical free and will kill bacteria of any kind.

Just going by what the health department regulations are. The ratio of bleach to water is VERY small. For us it is 1/4 cup....to every 50 gallons!! That's a very small ratio. That said, I do understand you concern and use of vinegar. It does kill bacteria for the most part. You may need to leave it on a longer period of time.

My point is that many people think that hot soapy water sanitizes their hand washed kitchen utensils and dishes. I honestly bring more cutting boards and knifes and clean them at home. Most in my dishwasher's sanitizing cycle as stated above.

And sponges need to be replaced frequently...daily if possible. I hate them in my own kitchen and do not use them. They remind me of petri dishes!!! A warm moist environment for bacteria to mulitilply like rabbits!!

We have a friend that had a rare disease, needed a heart transplant and then treatments to get the disease under control. He lived with his parents for awhile and explained how his Mom has frequently diarreha (sp). And he suggested that their old refrigerator didn't seem to keep things cold. He noticed when he drank some water at our house and how cold the it was. (the tap is safe but I don't like it). His father is and always has been sort of a Mr. Wilson grouch and told his grown son to mind his own $#%* business. I gave him a refrigerator therometer to take home with him. He hid it way in the back (where it is the coldest anyway) and it was reading about 50 degrees!! Secretly he turned the temp down more and things were starting to be safer. The poor guy had to sneak around because his Dad was a (blank) our friend needed to stay very healthy with no food borne illness especially or it could kill him. Refrigerators should be held at 40 degrees. If they go up to 45 sometimes, it is ok but it keeps foods safest at 40 degrees.

 

[doughmama]

when separating egg white from egg yolk, many people use the two shells from the cracked egg. But did you know that you can get salmonella from the egg shell. one reason to use our egg separator.

 

[esavvymom]

I caught the tail end of a show that was specifically talking about the best cutting boards and cleaning agents. Of all the products & methods they tested, the vinegar solution did the best job. I'm not surprised. And I like cheap options! They had done lab-swab tests to see what grew- so it was a fairly reliable test.


As far as the grill press....what I try to do- is sear the meat on the first side- just so it's not "raw" anymore, then flip the meat over to cook on the 2nd side with the press now on it. So when I flip the meat back over- the press never really came in contact with the raw part of the meat. Not sure how accurate or reliable that method would be, but better than the full-on raw I guess. ?

when separating egg white from egg yolk, many people use the two shells from the cracked egg. But did you know that you can get salmonella from the egg shell. one reason to use our egg separator.

I didn't realize that! That's good to know! I'll have to get one then....I was always a 2-shell person.



Another thing I do, I always wash the outside rinds of fruits and such- like Citrus products, melons, etc. Even if you aren't eating the rind/peel, I always wash it. Citrus is a cleaning agent in alot of products- so the juices running along the dirty rind or bare hands! (that grosses my mom out- when cooks use their hands to juice a lemon, etc)- all of that gets into the food :yuck:. Watermelon, canteloupe, pineapple, etc....I always wash/scrub those too. When your knife slices through the rind, anything on the OUTside gets transferred to the INSIDE. :yuck:- that just is nasty when you think about a pineapple and it's crevices....I use a veggie scrubber.

 

[cookinfletch]

I was taking a cooking class, & one of the women had taken a food safety course. She told us to take our aprons off before going to the bathroom- makes sense- so now I'm a bug about it!

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

when separating egg white from egg yolk, many people use the two shells from the cracked egg. But did you know that you can get salmonella from the egg shell. one reason to use our egg separator.

But if the egg came from that shell, wouldn't it already have salmonella?

 

[mrshamel3808]

But if the egg came from that shell, wouldn't it already have salmonella?

The outside of the shell has the salmonella, not the inside. When you use the 2 shells to separate the egg, you're letting the egg white slide down the outside of the shell.

Question about that though - doesn't cooking kill the salmonella? So only if you're using egg white raw would it matter? Or am I wrong? (and in which case I will not to it anymore!)

 

[debbie mc]

And sponges need to be replaced frequently...daily if possible. I hate them in my own kitchen and do not use them. They remind me of petri dishes!!! A warm moist environment for bacteria to mulitilply like rabbits!!

Totally agree, Ann. Sponges have always been "icky" to me, anyway. I refuse to use them in my kitchen (or anywhere else for that matter).

Hijack.....And, back to my vinegar post....I actually use vinegar/ water solutions and vinegar/ baking soda solutions for all my household cleaning. I use vinegar in my wash too as a "fabric softener" instead of the traditional type. My clothes don't come out smelling like vinegar, but they are "soft" and chemical free Since "going green" and using vinegar/ water and vinegar/ baking soda, I find I can't walk past the cleaners in the grocery aisle, without getting a slight headache. I won't be offended by those of you out there that read this and say .....with the exception of the friend who turned me on to this economical and chemical free way to clean my entire house, all my other friends just roll their eyes when I tell them my methods. Anyone out there wishing they could spend less $$ on cleaners & still sanitize your home, give it a try.....vinegar & baking soda for the bathroom sink, toilet & tub...it's quick, easy & your porcelin (sp?) will be shiny when you are done. end hijack and stepping off my soap box

 

[raebates]

Proper cooking kills salmonella. Washing the outside of the egg before separating works, too. I do this because on the rare occasion that I get a piece of shell in whatever I'm making the shell is the easiest way to remove the shard. Shell attracts shell.

 

[PamperedchefDaly]

The inside egg can also contain salmonella, which is why you need to cook eggs to a certain temperature, and why raws eggs are bad to eat (think cookie dough).

 

[Aun]

"This is another reason why I am trying to figure out the logistics of using the grill press. The instructions don't tell you to clean it in between flipping your meat. But, if it was just in contact with raw meat and then you flip it and put the press back on it, you are putting those germs right back on top of the cooked side.

I've been weirded out by the idea of that, too! I cook one side of the meat, flip it, then apply the grill press - just like one of the other posters on this thread mentioned. I hardly ever used it until I figured out to do it like that.

Regarding icky sponges - try microwaving them to kill the bacteria (make sure they are wet - a dry sponge can burn): http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/04/070423120145.htm

You can also stick them in the dishwasher, but it only sanitizes if you use the drying cycle.

The plus of microwaving them is that the steam helps to loosen any cooked on food in the microwave and then you can just wipe it off.

 

[BlueMoon]

I have also heard that salt is a great sanitizer, but especially with metal you have to rinse very well. I had a friend who was a chef who did gourmet cooking lessons as team building events, and she would always scrub the counters and sink with salt and lemon when in someone else's kitchen.....

and I have to admit to being a sponge hater too....
My question is, if I microwave the sponge, then it's still moist when I take it out, isn't it now a nice medium for germs to grow on, they are in the air, and the micro may kill most of them (with heat, not radiation) but 100%? sorry, all you sponge lovers.
though I am a health care worker, wash my hands constantly, worry about cross contamination, --- I actually try not to focus on it at other people's houses( I'd go insane)

SO my question is this? DO most of you wear the food handling gloves? for all food contact? or only meat?

yours,
Marghi

 

[JulieAnn123]

I recently took the food sanitation class at our local health dept. I took it before I signed up to do this because I was worried about people getting sick and was afraid
my common sense and so on might not be enough.

There is a difference between cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting. I am going to
quote from my worksheets:

Cleaning removes food and other types of soile from a surface.

Sanitizing reduces the number of microorganisms on a clean surface to safe levels.

Food contact surfaces must be washed, rinsed, and sanitized:
-after each use
-anytime you begin working with another type of food
-at four-hour intervals if items are in constant use

"Moist cloths or sponges used for wiping food spills on kitchenware and food-contact surfaces of equipment shall be clean and rinsed frequently in one of the sanitizing solutions permitted in Section 750.820(e) and used for no other purpose. These cloths and sponges shall be stored in the sanitizing solution between uses." (from Illinois food code)

Sanitizing Methods:
Heat- hot water
Chemical - chlorine, iodine, quats

Sanitizers:
-Immersion for at least 30 seconds in clean hot water at a temp of at least 170 degrees
-Immersion for at least 1 minute in a solution containing at least 50ppm available chlorine in clean water at least 75 degrees
-Immersion for at least 1 minute in a solution containing at least 12.5 ppm available iodine in clean water at least 75 degrees

Disinfectants are chemical agents that are not to be used on food surfaces.

Machine washing:
-all heat-sanitizing machine must have a final rinse temp of at least 180 degrees (except single-tank, stationary rack, single temp machine which is 165 degrees)
-the machine must be thoroughly cleaned at least once a day

Cross contamination is a major cause of food borne illnesses and using anything on raw meat and then touching anything else is a BIG NO NO.

Gloves --
You have to still properly wash and dry your hands prior to using the gloves and then the same gloves can not be used for different purposes. If you wash, glove up, touch raw meat remove gloves - you have to wash, glove up.... to go on to the next thing.

I hope this helps!

Julie

 

[JulieAnn123]

Also - a big thing is how long food is in the TDZ (temperature danger zone) of 41 - 135 degrees. A fridge needs to be 41 or lower. Frozen zero degrees or lower. Dry storage 50-70 with humidity 50-60%.

 

[schel]

Oh, and we really need to mention pet hair! I try to bring with me a clean sponge, soap, and hand towels. This way I'm prepared to wash my dishes if that's what I'm going to do that show, but also I can be sure to have the ability to wash the table and counters that I'll be using. Even if my host just scrubbed her home, if she has pets, you bet I'm washing the table and counter. I don't obsess and go nuts about cleaning someone's whole kitchen, just my work area. I just do it as a habit that ensures that I won't find mystery hairs on my products---because it has happened to me before where I'm using my cutting board and all of a sudden I see cat hair (this from a host who appeared to have just cleaned her house). :yuck:

I do this to, not so much for the pet hair but I have had some not so clean homes before!
Schel

Highjack...BTW, who uses sponges in the kitchen?? YUK! Also did you know that you should change your dish cloth every day and more if you are cooking with meat?? I have a friend that when I go over to her house, the dishcloth is filthy always. Makes me cringe to cook there sometimes. Sometimes I'll sneak in her drawer and take out a fresh one when I am there and make sure to use the clean one.
I don't have the heart to say anything though.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I do this to, not so much for the pet hair but I have had some not so clean homes before!
SchelHighjack...BTW, who uses sponges in the kitchen?? YUK! Also did you know that you should change your dish cloth every day and more if you are cooking with meat?? I have a friend that when I go over to her house, the dishcloth is filthy always. Makes me cringe to cook there sometimes. Sometimes I'll sneak in her drawer and take out a fresh one when I am there and make sure to use the clean one.
I don't have the heart to say anything though.

I use a sponge in the kitchen. I like the ones with a scrubby side. I buy them in bulk (at Costco), microwave them after use, and throw them away every few days.

 

[JulieAnn123]

I had never heard of microwaving a kitchen sponge before reading this article so I looked it up: Best Ways to Clean Kitchen Sponges / April 23, 2007 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service

"Microwaving sponges killed 99.99999 percent of bacteria present on them, while dishwashing killed 99.9998 percent of bacteria. "

That's terrific!!! Thanks!

 

[BlueMoon]

I had never heard of microwaving a kitchen sponge before reading this article so I looked it up: Best Ways to Clean Kitchen Sponges / April 23, 2007 / News from the USDA Agricultural Research Service

"Microwaving sponges killed 99.99999 percent of bacteria present on them, while dishwashing killed 99.9998 percent of bacteria. "

That's terrific!!! Thanks!

JulieAnn, thank you so much. as I said before, it is a battle between sponges and cloths in my house, and this will help me feel better about ending the battle. You've really increased my peace of mind.

Marghi

 

[JulieAnn123]

That class I took really opened my eyes. Much of what they taught I was already doing - must have learned it along the way, not even realizing it, by watching my mother, home ec class, 4H, common sense... but some of it was new and it was interesting. I also notice things in resturants I didn't notice before and it makes it hard for me to eat out now. For instance in a buffet.... you know how the fillers will come with a new pan of whatever and pour it over the small remaining things in the pan??? Well the pans need to be swapped because the stuff in the bottom will just get older and older as the day goes on and that's a big place where people can get very sick.

I think from now on whenever I am in a resturant I will order something that has to be prepared and cooked.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

That class I took really opened my eyes. Much of what they taught I was already doing - must have learned it along the way, not even realizing it, by watching my mother, home ec class, 4H, common sense... but some of it was new and it was interesting. I also notice things in resturants I didn't notice before and it makes it hard for me to eat out now. For instance in a buffet.... you know how the fillers will come with a new pan of whatever and pour it over the small remaining things in the pan??? Well the pans need to be swapped because the stuff in the bottom will just get older and older as the day goes on and that's a big place where people can get very sick.

I think from now on whenever I am in a resturant I will order something that has to be prepared and cooked.

Buffets gross me out. We NEVER eat at a buffet. EVER.

 

[Deb Bixler]

Speaking of kitchen hygeine, it is amazing to me how many consultants touch their head, faces, hair, etc. in front of guests. Everytime I visit a show as an observer to help the consultant grow and improve bookings that is ALWAYS the first thing I can see that would hinder bookings. http://www.createacashflowshow.com/free-resources