10 THINGS IN THE KITCHEN THAT ARE MAKING YOU SICK
10 things in the kitchen that are making you sick
Are you curious about the things in your kitchen that could be making you sick? Some are surprising and others should be good at cleaning, so take a look and see what you can change in your kitchen to be better!
We all love to cook, but are you at risk of getting sick from the ingredients you use? Since the kitchen is the place where we gather the most favorite things for guests or the place where we end up feeding our bodies when we are hungry, the kitchen includes many places that can make you fall in love!
germs are invisible and as much as we would like to have a germ-free kitchen, sometimes even the cleanest, healthiest and germ-free place in your home can still make you – sick.
So let’s take a look at the most popular kitchen items that are making you sick (and how to fix them!).
10 Kitchen Things That Make You Sick (And How To Fix It!)
1. The kitchen cleaning sponge.
One of the most important cleaning products in your kitchen is actually a dirty one: the kitchen sponge.
In fact, if you don’t keep your sponge fresh, it just becomes a gold mine for bacteria.
In fact, an analysis of kitchen utensils and the bacteria they contain showed that 19.6 bacteria live on the average kitchen sponge.
Also, did you know that this number is worse than toilet cleaning gloves? Further research also revealed large communities of Acinetobacter, Moraxella and Chryseobacterium as well as E. coli and salmonella in kitchen sponges used well after their expiry date. So, if you have been using the same sponge for a few months, know that your kitchen sponge is not very effective in cleaning your table and dishes by washing it yourself.
In fact, scientists participating in the study recommend replacing your kitchen cleaning sponge once a week.
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2. Improper food handling.
When it comes to getting sick from things in the kitchen, how you prepare your food is everything, here’s how to avoid it.
You may be cooking your food poorly, using unwashed utensils, not washing your hands while cooking (due to forgetfulness), or contaminating other foods, creating a recipe for bacterial growth.
So if you don’t prepare your food properly, be aware that bacteria can multiply quickly.
3. Improper thawing.
When it comes to preparing your frozen protein for dinner, you’d think that letting it sit in the sink or on the counter for a few hours is the right thing to do, right? After all, the meat is so cold that bacteria won’t grow on it and make you sick! Well, the answer to that question is unfortunately no!
First, bacteria can grow on anything hotter than 40ºF and colder than 140ºF.Once the tissue is within this range, bacteria will begin to grow.
Second, cold cannot kill bacteria that have grown on food. Therefore, it is important to be aware of your evacuation procedures. Nutritionists recommend that if you have the time, freezing your meat in the refrigerator is the best way to prevent bacteria from eating your food.
You can also thaw your food in cold water in the sink or in the microwave if you don’t have time. Also remember to cook thawed foods soon after thawing. This way you know for sure that your food won’t make you sick!
4. Dishtowel.
Most of us love our hand towels for a quick hand wash or for a quick clean up in the kitchen. However, if you also forget to clean them regularly, you may want to reconsider how you use your dishcloths in your home
Studies shows that your kitchen sink is full of bacteria that can cause food poisoning and harbor E. coli if you don’t wash them shortly after use.
Nutritionists recommend washing any previously used dishes with hot, soapy water to help fight the spread of germs.
5. Can openers.
Old school styleb can opener harbor bacteria like salmonella and E. coli because the wheel gets food inside the can, and it doesn’t run properly if it’s not kept at high temperatures.
Experts recommend keeping the can in the dishwasher on a very hot hygiene setting or washing your power in very hot soapy water after use.
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6. Leftovers
You may want to think twice before eating or reheating your leftovers, because not all leftovers deserve the same treatment. In fact, the foods that cause the most disease (when eaten after they are cooked) are eggs, beets, vegetables, and seafood, to name a few.
According to the FDA, these foods go rancid after being cooked or processed. In addition, bacteria will grow quickly on the seafood that you plan to grill.
So keep that in mind when preparing these types of foods as leftovers!
7. A reusable shopping bag.
Reusable shopping bags can be a great way to help the environment (so don’t stop using them). However, experts advise not to leave dirty shopping bags in hot cars.
Because bacteria thrive in moist prone and high temperatures. Many people forget to wash their bags after using them.
Food safety experts recommend washing your shopping bags with very hot water to avoid contamination from meat juices and unwashed ingredients.
8. Cross contamination
Cross contamination is a real problem in cooking because many foodborne illnesses do not come from the food we eat. In fact, foodborne illnesses are often caused by contamination.
For example, if you use the same knife for everything, it can cause cross contamination when you prepare food. To combat this, health experts recommend keeping one knife only for meat and another for chopping other things that are needed, such as chopping and preparing vegetables.
If you do this, you will increase the chance of meat not getting into and ruining your freshly cut food and the rest.
9. Improper use and cleaning of cutting boards.
Cutting boards are a magnet for bacteria in the kitchen, but that may be due to how the cutting board is maintained and cleaned.
For example, since small cracks form on the surface of each board after each use, this is the release of bacteria that can make you sick.
Experts recommend washing the wooden boards used in hot water and soap.
For added safety, a plastic cutting board can be placed in the dishwasher during the clean cycle.
10. Microwave popcorn (surprise, right?).
Although microwave popcorn is not something to clean and is considered safe to eat, you still need to know about it because it is surprising!
When you’re ready to eat your corn fresh out of the bag, did you know that chemicals try to leach out of the bag, like diacetyl?
Obviously, this chemical is very bad for your respiratory system and can make you sick if you inhale the air from a bag of popcorn.
To get around this, choose to make your popcorn at home with a popcorn maker, or let your microwave popcorn breathe by transferring the contents to a separate bowl before your first bite.
So! Your kitchen should be one of the cleanest, healthiest and germ-free places in your home.
And there is no need to get sick when these simple solutions can be implemented with little effort.
Thanks for reading!