Food Preparation

Cooking can harm your health if you aren’t doing it the right way. During food preparation, touching bacteria in food can allow it to spread to other surfaces and potentially cause illness for you, your friends and your family.

The fact that the kitchen is already one of the germiest places in your home magnifies this risk. Cutting boards, sinks and sponges are hot spots where nasty, germy things lurk and can cause illness. According to our NSF experts, maintaining a clean kitchen, especially while cooking, doesn’t have to be complicated. Here is everything you need to know about keeping your kitchen clean and sanitized while being your own “Top Chef.”

1. Divide and Conquer: Keep raw and cooked foods separate during preparation.

1. Give It the One-Two Punch: Simply wiping or rinsing surfaces is not enough to kill harmful bacteria that may have spread around your kitchen while preparing food. According to the US Department of Agriculture, cleaning and then sanitizing is the way to stop foodborne illness in the kitchen.

1. Soap It Up: Good sanitation practices in the kitchen start with washing your hands frequently with soap and water. Do this before touching ready-to-eat food and after touching raw meat, especially when you wipe your nose, sneeze or cough.

1. Sanitize Your Cooking Space: This step will help kill any remaining bacteria. You can use many different sanitizers or make your own solution with one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water. Pour or spray this on surfaces and leave it for one to three minutes, then wipe with a paper towel.

1. Cut It Up: Because cutting boards are used for many different foods, it is crucial to use separate cutting boards, utensils, etc., for other foods so they don’t cross-contaminate raw foods with ready-to-eat ones.

1. Clean That Sponge: It’s essential to clean your sponges. Put your wet sponge in the microwave for two minutes to sanitize it before use. If in doubt, throw it out.

1. Cloths, Towels and Rags: Sometimes it’s better to use dishcloths, towels or cloth rags to wipe up spills or clean surfaces. Sanitize them by washing them on your clothes washer’s sanitizing cycle or with bleach. Replace washable linens every one to two days.

1. From Table to Fridge, Fast: Start packing leftovers within two hours to avoid breeding grounds for germs. It’s not necessary or safer to cool them down to room temperature before refrigerating or freezing them.