By Brianna Steinhilber, @atimetokale
Danger in Your Kitchen
When it comes to grocery shopping and meal prep, most people assume they’re handling food in a safe and responsible way. But many may be surprised to learn the risky moves they make in the kitchen every day without even realizing it — which explains why 48 million people get sick from contaminated food each year. Enter “From Supermarket to Leftovers,” a comprehensive guide from Sarah Klein, senior counsel for the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (and formerly the senior staff attorney with the Food Safety Program at the Center for Science in Public Interest). She filled us in on the need-to-know-tips to keep foodborne illnesses at bay and ensure our food and kitchens are bacteria-free. You’ll be surprised at how many of these food safety faux pas you’re guilty of — especially during the summer.
Leaving Dairy-based Salads Sitting Out at Your Barbecue
With summer in full swing, outdoor parties and barbecues raise some important safety issues — one of them being the popular dairy-based dishes sitting among the spread. Leaving those yummy potato and macaroni salads or veggie dips sitting out is an invitation for bacteria growth. “On very hot days, [these foods] should never sit out more than an hour,” Klein said. “And once they have been sitting out, they are no longer safe to put back in the fridge.” She suggests resting dairy-based dishes in a bucket of ice to keep them cold and prevent bacteria growth.
Using One Cutting Board for Meal Prep
Most of us know to cut raw poultry or meat on a separate board than we do our veggies. But Klein suggests going even further and designating separate cutting boards in your cupboard, one exclusively used for meat and one only for veggies. “Get a red cutting board for meat and a green one for vegetables,” she said. “It’s possible that bacteria can remain in the grooves of the cutting boards, so it’s just easier to make something a habit to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.” The last and final step is always to thoroughly cook all ingredients, she added.-
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Rinsing Raw Meat Before You Cook It
You may think you’re doing a good thing by rinsing raw meat when you remove it from the package, but you’e actually creating an extremely dangerous environment in your kitchen. “Not only is rinsing raw meat and poultry simply not necessary, as cooking will eliminate harmful bacteria, but you are spreading little water droplets carrying bacteria all around your kitchen,” said Klein. “Studies have shown that the bacteria can splatter up to six feet around your kitchen, so now your sink and counters are all contaminated.”
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iStock Photo
Visiting the Seafood Counter First at the Grocery Store
If your normal route around the supermarket has you starting in the meat department, it’s time to switch up your routine. “Fresh seafood needs to be refrigerated immediately. It’s the most temperature-sensitive food, and toxins form as it begins to decay (which happens even at room temperature) that cannot be cooked away,” Klein advised. “You want it to be cold from the time it is caught until you cook it.”
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Getty Images
Not Washing Your Sponge
You may not think that the tool used to clean your dishes and utensils needs to be cleaned itself, but particles of food that get trapped in the material can cause bacteria to grow, which you then spread to your dishes and around your sink. Klein recommends washing your sponge daily by simply throwing it in the dishwasher or by dampening and microwaving it on high for one minute. “When you notice a musty smell, it’s time to replace your sponge,” Klein adds. “I recommend having a jumbo pack on hand; you want to be able to easily replace your sponge frequently.”
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Stefano Oppo/Corbis
Buying Bagged Lettuce
Pre-washed and cut lettuce is convenient when you’re strapped for time, but what many don’t know is that bagged salads have a higher risk for carrying pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella. Like ground beef, a mix of many heads of lettuce go into each bag, so there’s a higher chance of one single head contaminating many packages. And if you think washing bagged lettuce at home will cut down the risk, think again: “Rinsing food removes surface debris; the bacteria likely to harm you is deep in food — you can’t rinse it away,” said Klein. The benefit of eating greens far outweighs the risks, so there’s no need to completely scratch bagged varieties from your grocery list, but if you or anyone you’re serving is immune-compromised, go for fresh, whole heads of lettuce instead.
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Lori Lee Miller/Getty Images
Using a Single Platter and Utensil to Carry Food to and From the Grill
The same cutting board mentality should be applied when transporting food to the grill to be cooked and then back to your table. “You need to use different platters and utensils — that includes the tongs that you use to place meat on the grill,” said Klein. “Even if you rest raw meat on top of a paper towel, the juice from the meat seeps right through. You need to wash or replace the platter.”
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Getty Images
Keeping Eggs in the Door and Milk on the Top Shelf
The shelves on the fridge door seem like the perfect spot to store a carton of eggs, while the top shelf is the most convenient place to have milk ready to grab on pour and busy mornings — but what many fail to recognize is that not all parts of your fridge are equally cold. It’s vital to keep foods that have the highest chance of developing bacteria — eggs, poultry, and milk — in the cooler parts of the fridge, like the bottom shelf. The temperature in areas like the door, which is constantly opening and closing, tend to fluctuate, and therefore is a better spot for more stable items such as butter or ketchup.
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Getty Images
Running Other Errands After You Load Up on Groceries
If you have a long to-do list, make your grocery shopping the last thing on the schedule. Food needs to be home and in the fridge within two hours of checking out at the store, and that time frame shrinks to just one hour when the temperature outside is 90 degrees or warmer. The chilled temperature prevents bacteria from forming, but as the food temperature rises, so does the chance of bacteria growth.
-
iStock Photo
Storing Leftovers in the Fridge
You pack your leftovers into containers, stack them in the fridge, and you’re good to go, right? Seems easy enough, but there are actually a few very important rules many people fail to follow. Klein advises everyone to memorize the 2-2-4 rule: All food should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking it, stored in containers just two inches deep to speed the chilling process, and eaten within four days. Any food that won’t be consumed within this time frame should be frozen instead.
Using One Cutting Board for Meal Prep
Most of us know to cut raw poultry or meat on a separate board than we do our veggies. But Klein suggests going even further and designating separate cutting boards in your cupboard, one exclusively used for meat and one only for veggies. “Get a red cutting board for meat and a green one for vegetables,” she said. “It’s possible that bacteria can remain in the grooves of the cutting boards, so it’s just easier to make something a habit to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.” The last and final step is always to thoroughly cook all ingredients, she added.
-
Rinsing Raw Meat Before You Cook It
You may think you’re doing a good thing by rinsing raw meat when you remove it from the package, but you’e actually creating an extremely dangerous environment in your kitchen. “Not only is rinsing raw meat and poultry simply not necessary, as cooking will eliminate harmful bacteria, but you are spreading little water droplets carrying bacteria all around your kitchen,” said Klein. “Studies have shown that the bacteria can splatter up to six feet around your kitchen, so now your sink and counters are all contaminated.”
-
iStock Photo
Visiting the Seafood Counter First at the Grocery Store
If your normal route around the supermarket has you starting in the meat department, it’s time to switch up your routine. “Fresh seafood needs to be refrigerated immediately. It’s the most temperature-sensitive food, and toxins form as it begins to decay (which happens even at room temperature) that cannot be cooked away,” Klein advised. “You want it to be cold from the time it is caught until you cook it.”
-
Getty Images
Not Washing Your Sponge
You may not think that the tool used to clean your dishes and utensils needs to be cleaned itself, but particles of food that get trapped in the material can cause bacteria to grow, which you then spread to your dishes and around your sink. Klein recommends washing your sponge daily by simply throwing it in the dishwasher or by dampening and microwaving it on high for one minute. “When you notice a musty smell, it’s time to replace your sponge,” Klein adds. “I recommend having a jumbo pack on hand; you want to be able to easily replace your sponge frequently.”
-
Stefano Oppo/Corbis
Buying Bagged Lettuce
Pre-washed and cut lettuce is convenient when you’re strapped for time, but what many don’t know is that bagged salads have a higher risk for carrying pathogens like E. coli or Salmonella. Like ground beef, a mix of many heads of lettuce go into each bag, so there’s a higher chance of one single head contaminating many packages. And if you think washing bagged lettuce at home will cut down the risk, think again: “Rinsing food removes surface debris; the bacteria likely to harm you is deep in food — you can’t rinse it away,” said Klein. The benefit of eating greens far outweighs the risks, so there’s no need to completely scratch bagged varieties from your grocery list, but if you or anyone you’re serving is immune-compromised, go for fresh, whole heads of lettuce instead.
-
Lori Lee Miller/Getty Images
Using a Single Platter and Utensil to Carry Food to and From the Grill
The same cutting board mentality should be applied when transporting food to the grill to be cooked and then back to your table. “You need to use different platters and utensils — that includes the tongs that you use to place meat on the grill,” said Klein. “Even if you rest raw meat on top of a paper towel, the juice from the meat seeps right through. You need to wash or replace the platter.”
-
Getty Images
Keeping Eggs in the Door and Milk on the Top Shelf
The shelves on the fridge door seem like the perfect spot to store a carton of eggs, while the top shelf is the most convenient place to have milk ready to grab on pour and busy mornings — but what many fail to recognize is that not all parts of your fridge are equally cold. It’s vital to keep foods that have the highest chance of developing bacteria — eggs, poultry, and milk — in the cooler parts of the fridge, like the bottom shelf. The temperature in areas like the door, which is constantly opening and closing, tend to fluctuate, and therefore is a better spot for more stable items such as butter or ketchup.
-
Getty Images
Running Other Errands After You Load Up on Groceries
If you have a long to-do list, make your grocery shopping the last thing on the schedule. Food needs to be home and in the fridge within two hours of checking out at the store, and that time frame shrinks to just one hour when the temperature outside is 90 degrees or warmer. The chilled temperature prevents bacteria from forming, but as the food temperature rises, so does the chance of bacteria growth.
-
iStock Photo
Storing Leftovers in the Fridge
You pack your leftovers into containers, stack them in the fridge, and you’re good to go, right? Seems easy enough, but there are actually a few very important rules many people fail to follow. Klein advises everyone to memorize the 2-2-4 rule: All food should be refrigerated within two hours of cooking it, stored in containers just two inches deep to speed the chilling process, and eaten within four days. Any food that won’t be consumed within this time frame should be frozen instead.
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