Q. How often should I change the sponge that I use to wash my dishes? They get pretty grungy.
A. Actually, you really should NOT use sponges at all. Because of the moisture that is stored in the nooks and crannies of the sponges, it is a source of bacterial growth, and studies have shown high levels of bacteria growing inside kitchen sponges. Unless you store your sponge in a solution of _ tsp bleach and 4 cups water, and dry it out in between uses, you would be better off not using sponges at all. Switch to a dish cloth, and dry out after use, and wash frequently.
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Q. Are antibacterial soaps enough to kill the bacteria on cutting boards after cutting raw chicken or meat?
A. No, it has been shown that although antibacterial soaps can reduce some bacteria, it is not effective against large concentrations of bacteria, and many viruses.
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Q. What about the antibacterial sanitizers that you can use instead of hand washing? Don't they kill the bacteria? They would save so much time when in a hurry.
A. There really is no substitute for hand washing. Although these solutions have been approved for use in hospitals, the proteins that may be on a cook’s hands (from meats, poultry) as well as the moisture on his/her hands interferes with the sanitizer’s effectiveness. Food handlers should wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and warm water to get rid of bacteria. If they really want to, they can apply a sanitizer after that.
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Q. Which types of restaurants are required to wear gloves when preparing food?
A. Massachusetts law requires that ALL food handlers wear gloves when handling “cooked or ready-to-eat foods. It does not matter what kind of restaurant, cafeteria, sub shop or bakery it is. This means that anytime someone in a restaurant is making a sandwich, slicing meats, buttering toast, serving a slice of pizza, or handling any food that is not going to be cooked further, THEY SHOULD BE WEARING GLOVES. They should also be CHANGING THOSE GLOVES after touching something unsanitary. So the next time you are in a sub shop and the person making your sandwich is not wearing gloves, or IS NOT CHANGING THEM in between touching the food and touching anything else (refrigerator door, broom handle, money, trash barrel) , they could be contaminating your food with their own germs, or something else unsanitary. You can either refuse that sandwich, walk out, or ask that they make you a new one with clean gloves.
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Q. I have been sick with diarrhea and nausea for the last 3 or 4 days. I haven't been out to eat lately, so I don't think it was anything that I ate in a restaurant. I figured it was just a bug.
A. It could still be a food borne illness that you had, maybe from germs spread in your own kitchen. Often we overlook the things we do when we are preparing food that can make us sick. Cutting chicken on a cutting board, and then pounding the breasts with a meat mallet , can splatter raw chicken juices everywhere – on the counter, and even on you. These juices contain harmful Salmonella bacteria, and unless these surfaces are sanitized with a solution (washing is not enough) you can contaminate the next thing that touches these surfaces (e.g., bread or your hands) with that bacteria, and get a Salmonella infection. Your own clothes or apron being splattered with these juices can also transmit the bacteria onto the next items they touch, (dishes, utensils, other foods) and cause a bacterial infection without realizing it. It is estimated that 600 million cases of food borne illness originate from households themselves.
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Q: Frequently asked questions about food safety from consumers, and retailers alike I heard that we should never stuff turkey before it is cooked. That we always have to cook the stuffing separately. Is this true?
A: No, actually it is okay to stuff the turkey as long as it is cooked to the right internal temperature. Cooking the turkey and the stuffing inside to an internal temperature of 165° degrees is what kills the bacteria in this food. As long as you take the temperature of the stuffing and the turkey itself in the thickest portion of the meat (in 2 places, just to be sure), and the thermometer reads 165° degrees, then it is safe to eat.
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Q. How does just rinsing vegetables do any good against the bacteria that might be on them?
A. The friction of the running water and your hands against the vegetables can eliminate bacteria that might be clinging to the vegetables.
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Q. I always feel sick after I eat Chinese food. I think it's the MSG that they use.
A. It may not be the MSG that is making you sick, but the rice. Bacillus cereus is a bacteria found in cooked rice that produces a toxin (poison) if it is left at room temperature for too long (over 4 hours). Rice that is made in large batches should be either refrigerated or kept hot (over 140 ) until use, to prevent the growth of this bacteria and its toxin.
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Eastern Mass Food Safety
70 Christina Drive
Braintree, MA 02184
781-356-1467 FAX 781-356-3960
cindy@easternmassfoodsafety.com
For more information contact us by email.
© 2008, Eastern Mass Food Safety
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