Turkey handling Kitchen advice

[Guest guest]

Turkey Trouble November 24th, 2008

Well, not to put a damper on your upcoming holiday feast, but as

friends and family gather in the coming days, it's a good time to

remind everyone of the germs that turkeys carry, and the importance of

kitchen hygiene. Our home kitchens are the source for many foodborne

infections. Turkeys naturally harbor bacteria like Campylobacter and

Salmonella species, the latter also linked to a variety of non-turkey

sources including vegetables and some bottled products. E. coli

infections come from meat products and from fruits and vegetbables

harvested in fields where cows have grazed. It's impossible to prevent

" contaminated " food from entering your kitchen because all fresh food

has germs, but it is very possible to prevent the germs that come in

on food from ever causing infections in you or your family.

The secret to healthy kitchen habits is twofold: proper cooking and

cleaning of food; and proper disinfecting of the kitchen and

everything in the kitchen used for food preparation (including you,

the chef!). The highest counts of bacteria in the kitchen are found

in the sink and sink drain, dish rags, mops, and sponges. When dish

rags are also used to wipe down counter tops, the germs from the sink

are spread to new surfaces. Salmonella species have been found in

about 15% of sponges and dish rags in homes like yours. Raw and

undercooked meat, poultry, and fish come into your kitchen containing

the germs mentioned above, including E. coli O157:H7, salmonella,

campylobacter, and pseudomonas, which then get on the hands of the

chef. When cutting boards, faucets and countertops are then handled by

the same food preparer, those dangerous germs stick to those new

hiding places. Videotapes taken during studies of typical households

routinely show some remarkable lapses in common germ sense. The towel

used to wipe up juice from raw meat is then used to dry off washed

hands; during food preparation, hands repeatedly go directly from food

to face, and back again; a towel falls to the floor, is walked on, and

is then picked up and used to wipe down the counter tops – and then is

used to cover cooked meat waiting for dinner! The telltale study tapes

also show that meatloaf, chicken, and fish were undercooked 35%, 42%,

and 17% of the time, respectively.

Here are my top 5 rules for kitchen hygiene, taken from Germ Proof

Your Kids - The Complete Guide to Protecting (without Overprotecting)

Your Family from Infections (ASM Press, Washington, D.C., 2008):

Top 5 rules for kitchen hygiene

1. Nothing says food-poisoning as convincingly as " steak tartare " ,

" I'll have mine rare " , " let's do sushi " , or " it's getting late for

Thanksgiving dinner, the turkey's probably done, let's eat " . Cook all

meats, poultry, and fish thoroughly.

2. Use bleach-containing products to disinfect surfaces that are

likely to be heavily contaminated with germs. Disinfecting is better

than simple cleaning in reducing germ counts.

3. Establish and adhere to a regular household cleaning schedule –

clean heavily contaminated areas like the kitchen more frequently.

Disinfect the surfaces in the kitchen immediately after putting the

turkey in the oven, before preparing all the side dishes. Surfaces

include countertops and the floor. Use disinfectant wipes on

refrigerator, freezer, and oven door handles - and even on the

telephone handset if you got a call while preparing the turkey!

4. Use common sense in cleaning and disinfecting your home. Sponges,

dish rags, mops, and other cleaning tools can spread infection even

more effectively than they eliminate germs if not used properly. Wash

your hands thoroughly after handling all disinfecting supplies.

5. Use hot water whenever possible – for all cleaning and washing,

including dishes, floors, and other surfaces. Wet is bad; dry is

good. Always thoroughly dry everything that you've washed.

http://germproofyourkids.com/germblog/