Five kitchen crimes you’ve probably committed

THERE’S more to a healthy kitchen than a squirt of disinfectant and a shining benchtop. These five lesser-known hygiene tips may surprise you.

Cleaning products should be stored away from food. Picture: Theo Fakos

UNLESS you’re living in a share house reminiscent of The Young Ones, you probably think you have kitchen hygiene basics pretty much down pat.

But keeping bacteria from getting too friendly with your food and benchtops goes well beyond washing your hands and putting the things that say “refrigerate” in the fridge.

NSW Food Authority chief scientist Lisa Szabo has offered five lesser-known kitchen hygiene tips:

1. Tea towels should be replaced after every use

Cross contamination is a potential problem when tea towels are used to dry the dishes, wipe down benches and dry your hands or those of a child.

“Bacteria thrive in warm, moist environments, and a damp, dirty tea towel can provide the perfect ground to harbour bacteria,” Dr Szabo says.

It’s best to wash tea towels after each use and have a good supply of fresh ones to hand.

Hanging tea towels over the oven door to dry is common but it’s a hygiene no-no.

2. Frozen meat should not be defrosted at room temperature

Unless you are a fan of food poisoning, it’s best to avoid the benchtop thawing method.

Dr Szabo suggests defrosting frozen meat in the fridge or microwave, or submerged in cold water but only if you change the water every 30 minutes to keep it cold.

Never leave frozen meat on a benchtop or table to thaw out.

3. Throw out dented tin cans

Not only do they not look pretty, those dents can cause the product to aerate and reduce its shelf life.

4. Rockmelons can have salmonella

“Salmonella poisonings have been linked to rockmelons that may be a result of contaminated water, fertiliser, contact with pests or insufficient cleaning,” Dr Szabo says.

Always rinse fresh fruit and vegetables thoroughly to avoid this.

It’s a healthy snack but rockmelon has been linked to salmonella poisoning, so wash well before eating.

5. Keep all food away from chemicals

Even properly sealed food can be contaminated by chemicals so keep food well away from pest control and cleaning products and throw out any food that may be exposed to them.

Cleaning products should be stored away from food. Picture: Theo Fakos

AT A GLANCE: DO

• Keep your fridge below 5C

• Reheat food to at least 60C

• Wipe down and dry tables and benches every time food is prepared or served from them

• Clean sponges, scourers and dish brushes after each use — rinse them in hot water, wring out and leave to dry before using again

• Use a separate cutting board and knife for raw meat or poultry

DON’T:

• Eat refrigerated food that has been left out for more than two hours

• Cook for others when you are sick

• Let animals into the kitchen and eating areas, if possible. Keep animals’ feeding bowls out of the kitchen

• Let raw meat & poultry come into contact with other foods

• If using grey water for the garden, don’t use it on the vegetable patch or herb garden

For more information go to foodauthority.nsw.gov.au.

Originally published as Five kitchen crimes you’ve probably committed