Disinfecting Food
Disinfecting food before consumption is a great thing to do. It can ensure that your food is safe to eat. Produce can be contaminated in the soil it's growing or during preparation. If the surface you're preparing your food is contaminated, bacteria will spread on it, making it dangerous for you.
Germs that are found in food include E. coli, salmonella, yeast, listeria, and mould. That's why it is important to disinfect all the food before use. Proper handling of produce can make all bacteria disappear. If you don't know how to disinfect food, check this article. Below QualityCleaning Walworth give a few tips to keeping your food clean and healthy.
How to Disinfect Food
What you need:
· Cutting board
· Soap or dish detergent
· Clean cloth/paper towel
· Knife
· Produce brush
Instructions:
Before you handle produce, make sure you wash your hands under warm running water for about 20 seconds. Use dish detergent or soap. Then rinse with cold water all the fresh produce and remove any damages or bruised areas. Use a cutting board and knife to cut any rotten areas.
Even if you intend to peel your produce, don't forget to wash it. Produce with a rough or thick shell should be scrubbed with a produce brush. For example, melons and cucumbers.
Rinse well with cold water. Make sure you remove all dirt and debris, then use a paper towel to dry the fresh food.
When you are ready with this step, wash all utensils, adding a dab of detergent. Scrub well and rinse.
Warnings and Tips:
· Meat and fish products are disinfected during the cooking process. They need to be processed at a very high temperature.
· When you are processing food such as raw meat, cooked food and fresh produce on a cutting board, be sure to use separate boards to avoid cross contamination.
· Store produce and meat separately to avoid cross contamination.
· Make sure you keep your cutting boards, food storage places and kitchen counters clean and sanitised.
Meat and Eggs
It is a well-known fact that salmonella is found in meat and eggs. This type of bacterium can reside both the inside and outside of eggs. The problem is, it's not visible and eggs seem to be normal. If they are digested lightly cooked or even raw, chances are you spend the next couple of weeks in hospital and under quarantine. That's why it's important to cook eggs well and at the right temperature. Salmonella can be killed at 160 degrees F.
Poultry must be cooked until a temperature of 165 degrees F is reached.
More tips:
· It is a wise idea to keep eggs in cool places. The best temperature for them is ≤40° F (≤4° C).
· Do not keep eggs at room temperature.
· Always make sure you eat eggs right after cooking.
· People with weakened immune systems, children and elderly people should not consume raw, lightly cooked eggs or undercooked meat.
· Symptoms of salmonella include: chills, diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, headache, abdominal cramps, blood in the stools. If you notice anything like that, immediately contact your health care provider.
How to Wash your Utensils and Tools
Blender gasket should be hand-washed or, if possible, placed in the dishwasher. Wooden spatula can be either placed in the dishwasher or hand-washed. Use hot water and a dab of detergent, Rub well, rinse and dry. Can opener can be washed in hot soapy water. Remove all the debris carefully, then rinse well with water. You can put it in the dishwasher as well. Before you do, scrub lightly.