Home is where the germ is: keeping bugs at bay in the kitchen - Food-Safety Watch

Nutrition Action Healthletter, Jan-Feb, 2004 by David Schardt

How germ-conscious are consumers in the privacy of their own kitchens? "Not nearly enough," says researcher Janet Anderson of Utah State University.

Anderson and her colleagues videotaped 100 volunteers as they prepared a chicken, fish, or meatloaf entree and a salad at home. The participants were told that they were taking part in a market research study to see how people prepared their food. But the researchers were really observing the volunteers' kitchen hygiene.

"When we go into the kitchen to cook, most of us fall into old habits," says Anderson, who is an associate professor of nutrition and food sciences. "We're thinking about work or the kids or something else, and not about the possibility of food poisoning."

Among the safety oversights she observed:

* Less than half washed their hands before starting to cook. Of those who did, one in six didn't use soap.

* While food was being prepared, the typical hand wash averaged 4.4 seconds and didn't use soap.

* Six percent didn't wash their vegetables before handling them.

* 30 percent didn't clean cutting boards and other surfaces after they came in contact with meat, poultry, or fish.

* 82 percent undercooked the chicken and 46 percent undercooked the meatloaf. (Only one out of 20 checked for doneness with a thermometer. Everyone else used a knife, a different utensil, or another less-reliable method.)

* 24 percent failed to store raw meat, chicken, or fish on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator (to prevent any leaking juices from dripping onto other foods).

Despite the poor performance of Anderson's cooks, some people must be worried about food poisoning. Why else would companies market so many products that claim to help? Here's a quick guide to which ones work and which ones don't.

Alcohol Washes

What's the best way to get rid of germs on your hands?

For most purposes, soap and hot water will do just fine. But if your household includes people with weakened immune systems (due to cancer chemotherapy or HIV, for example or if there's some bug going around in your family, it's time to bring out the big gun.

"Use an alcohol wash, not an antibacterial soap," says Elaine Larson of the Columbia University School of Nursing in New York. "It quickly kills bacteria, it's convenient because you don't need water or a towel to use it, and there's not even a theoretical possibility of bacteria becoming resistant to it."

Most alcohol washes don't mention the word "alcohol" in their names. They're usually called "Hand Sanitizer." You know you've got the right product when "Ethyl Alcohol 62%" is one of the active ingredients listed on the label. (That's the minimum concentration that studies have found effective.)

Alcohol washes are so good at killing germs that in 2002 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that hospitals use them instead of antibacterial soap.

If you need to use an alcohol wash, here's how: Before and after handling food, wash your hands with soap (dirt, food, or anything else on your hands can make the alcohol less effective). Then put a dime-size dollop of the alcohol wash in the palm of one hand and rub your hands together until they're dry. (Since alcohol can cause dry skin, most brands also contain moisturizers.)

When you're traveling, take along a supply of individually wrapped antibacterial towelettes like Purell Sanitizing Hand Towels with Moisturizers, which you should be able to find on-line (at drugstore.com, for example) or at a well-stocked pharmacy or supermarket. Make sure "Ethyl Alcohol 62%" is one of the active ingredients.

Clean Cutting Boards

Ten years ago, wood appeared to take the lead over plastic in The Great Cutting Board Wars.

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin reported that used plastic cutting boards could be cleaned and disinfected only in a dishwasher, while hot soapy water in the sink was enough for used wooden cutting boards. But no one has tried to confirm those results. (New, unscored boards are easy to clean, so studies on them aren't useful.)

To the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wood vs plastic isn't the question. "It doesn't matter what your cutting board is made out of, as long as you wash it properly," says Susan Conley of the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. "Wash your boards--whatever they're made of--in the dishwasher if you can," she suggests. "Otherwise, clean them with hot, soapy water."

For insurance, you can rinse your cutting boards with a dilute bleach solution (one teaspoon per quart of water). "But that's not necessary if you wash them properly," says Bessie Berry of the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline.

The best wooden cutting boards are made from hard woods like oak, ash, and maple.

Some people keep one board exclusively for cutting raw meat, poultry, and fish and another board for chopping vegetables and other foods. To avoid confusing them, pick up a set of color-coded plastic cutting boards at a store like Bed Bath & Beyond or an on-line vendor like cooking.com or amazon.com.