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Susan M. Morgan, CFCS
County Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Education
Bolivia, NC 28422
January 2000

Do you ever wonder how safe your kitchen is? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 million incidences of foodborne illness occur each year. Believe it or not many foodborne illnesses occur in the home. Many times these illnesses are disguised as a bad case of the flu. There are several ways you can make your kitchen safe for the entire family. So, for safety's sake, always practice the following tips in your kitchen.

• Make sure your refrigerator temperature is at 40° F or less. This temperature is important because it slows the growth of most bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses. An Audits International study reported that 23% of consumers' refrigerators are 45° F or above. Make sure that your refrigerator is kept at the proper temperature so that the growth of bacteria is slowed and you are less likely to get sick. An inexpensive thermometer can help you be sure your refrigerator is at the proper temperature.
• Cooked food should always be refrigerated within two hours after cooking at normal room temperatures. In hotter weather, foods should be refrigerated within one hour. Refrigerating foods quickly will keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying.
• Be sure to defrost meat, poultry, and fish products on the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, in the microwave, or in cold water that is changed every thirty minutes. After defrosting food in the microwave it should be cooked immediately.
• Sanitize your dish cloths and sponges regularly to prevent spreading millions of bacteria all over your kitchen. You can sanitize dish cloths and sponges by washing them often in the hot cycle of your washing machine or by adding them to your dish washer each time you wash dishes. There are times it is best to use paper towels as an alternative to dish cloths and sponges. Allowing dishes to air dry is another way that you can cut down on spreading bacteria throughout your kitchen. Each time you dry with a cloth, you risk spreading bacteria on the otherwise "clean" dish surfaces.
• Always cook meat products until they are no longer red in the middle and the juices run clear. The best way to make sure that the meat has been cooked all the way through is to use a meat thermometer. The meat thermometer reading will let you know if the meat has reached a safe internal temperature to kill harmful bacteria. Insert the thermometer into the thickest portion of the food for an accurate temperature.
• Don't forget to sanitize cutting boards, utensils and counter tops after each use. Often we spread bacteria from one food to another, known as "cross contamination" when we fail to sanitize cutting boards, utensils and food contact surfaces.
• Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds after: handling raw food, using sanitizing solutions, playing with pets, smoking, touching hair, face or body, eating or drinking, and after sneezing or coughing. Washing your hands frequently will help reduce the spread of bacteria.
• Never eat raw eggs due to the risk of Salmonella poisoning. Eggs must be cooked until they are done. Throw out any older recipes that call for eggs to remain raw and replace with a recipe that contains thoroughly cooked eggs or use an egg substitute that is pasteurized.

Don't invite harmful bacteria into your kitchen. Follow these simple steps and make your kitchen safe. For additional information call Susan Morgan, CFCS, at the Brunswick County Center of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service in Bolivia at 253-2610 or address your request to her at P. O. Box 109, Bolivia, NC 28422.

The information presented is for educational purposes only. References to trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is implied.

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Date Created 1/3/2000
Last Revised 1/3/2000