Since food poison occurs when food becomes contaminated by bacteria in a dirty surrounding.
The kitchen is one of the busiest and messiest rooms in the home and, as such, needs regular attention.
Food safety and a clean kitchen bring about a healthy immune system and help keep bacteria at bay; a clean kitchen results in less contaminated food.
There’s a lot to do to be free from food poisoning and food-borne diseases, and they are as follows:
1. Wash cooking utensils
To maintain adequate cleanliness in the kitchen, wash the cooking utensils using hot soapy water or a dishwasher before use. It’s an ideal thing to clean all the kitchen utensils in the kitchen before and after use.
All cooking equipment should be cleaned and sanitized, especially kitchen equipment with direct contact with food like knives, mixers, blenders, wooden spoons, tongs, etc.
A dishwasher is the best way of washing kitchen utensils at a very high temperature capable of killing bacteria.
2. Correct food storage
Apart from proper cooking, another essential food hygiene is the safe storage of food. Cover the leftover food with cling film, and you should discard food or items out of date.
For maximum kitchen neatness, clean the fridge regularly, especially its storage compartments, and wash all fridge surfaces thoroughly with warm water.
Avoid cleaning the refrigerator with products that may pass on taste to food, wipe spills immediately, and lastly, dry with a clean towel.
3. Clean the chopping board after use
Foods left on the chopping board can rear bacteria. Thus, the board should be scrubbed down immediately after use as a quick, easy, essential chopping board is basic kitchen hygiene.
When the board is infected, there’s every tendency that the meal preparation will be contaminated.
Since the cracks and grooves on chopping boards can serve as a refuge to bacteria, wash the chopping board with hot soapy water, especially after using poultry.
Nonetheless, have a separate chopping board for raw meat and ready-to-eat food like salad, bread, fruits, etc.
4. Bin basics
Changing the bin is a core aspect of kitchen hygiene because decomposed food will likely form bacteria and funny smells.
It’s a significant idea bin is discarded daily and should be closed steadily. One should not pile up dump waste at any corner of the kitchen.
5. Wash hands
Washing hands before preparing a meal and between the preparation is vital as hands are likely to carry different bacteria. Do not leave germ from elsewhere in the kitchen.
Therefore, the number of times to wash hands is limitless because one can subconsciously use the hands for a multi-purpose task like touching raw food, going to the toilet, touching the bin, handling pets, etc. so, you have to make it a habit.
Ensure your hands are washed with soap, running water. Scrub the back of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
6. Wipe countertops
Clean or wipe the kitchen countertops should after every use not just for hygienic sake but also to stop the bacteria spread.
It lives a rough life, from spills, crumbs, groceries, bags, homework, etc. It’s essential to clean the countertop because it directly touches the food.
Hence, wash the countertop before preparing a meal, and wipe split food right away. Never put washed fruit on a countertop, and lastly, wash it thoroughly after placing raw foods on it.
7. Scrub the sink daily
The sink is a kitchen item that we use regularly and, if not kept clean, will be covered up with bacteria. Regular scrubbing with a scourer and a spritz of kitchen cleaner is advisable.
Leaving dirty dishes in the sink is a nasty habit that can increase bacteria.
8. Keep kitchen towels, sponges, cleaning cloths clean and replace regularly
Wash all the kitchen towels and equipment used in cleaning the kitchen regularly and replace them when necessary.
We use the kitchen towels daily to open hot lids, remove food from the oven, bring down boiling meals from heat, or wipe off food and water from our wet hands.
These dishcloths are the most used cleaning tool in the kitchen and, if not handled properly, can be the number one source of contamination.
9. Thoroughly cook foods
One essential food hygiene is to ensure that one cooks all foods correctly, as undercooked foods can lead to food poisoning.
It’s food safe to properly cook meals like pork, chicken, beef, sausage longer until there’s no trace of pink on the bones, joints, and flesh as this may cause Salmonella and e.coli infections.
10. Mop the kitchen regularly
Cleaning the kitchen and mopping its floor can help keep flies, ants, cockroaches, pests away from coming in contact with already prepared foods.
Greasy areas are usually a hiding place for bacteria, and as such, you should adequately wipe the stove or gas top.
How will you maintain the cleanliness of your kitchen?
The cleanliness of the kitchen can be maintained by disposing of food scraps and removing crumbs.
More so, you can also maintain it by wiping counters with soap, water and sanitizing with a disinfectant.
Lastly, sweeping and wet mopping floors to remove food can contribute to the proper cleanliness of the kitchen.
What are the five ways to keep your kitchen clean?
For a kitchen to be kept clean, wipe the sink needs after washing the dishes, you should clean spills as soon as possible.
Clean every part of the kitchen and let water out of the sink immediately after washing. Lastly, you should have a trash bowl.
What are some ways to ensure food safety in the kitchen?
To ensure food safety in the kitchen, endeavor to wash your hands with warm water and soap before preparing foods and after handling poultry, fish, meat, egg products, etc.
What are four things essential to do to keep food safe in a kitchen?
The four major things to do for food safety in the kitchen are:
- Always clean the kitchen’s surroundings
- Ensure you separate the liquid meal from dry ones
- Cook the food thoroughly, and lastly, allow it to chill for some minutes before refrigerating.
Conclusion
It is crucial to keep your kitchen and its entire utensils clean; a clean kitchen is automatically a farewell to food poisoning.
Cleanliness, they say, is nearest to Godliness; therefore, a clean kitchen precisely equals a healthy life. The above list is a guide on maintaining a clean kitchen and protecting our food from bacteria.
