In the U.S. alone, hand sanitizer sales add up to $190 million in revenue. Are we all turning into germaphobes or simply responding to the many bugs and viruses that lurk out there? Germs are no joke. Approximately 22 million school days are missed each year because of children coming down with a cold. In addition, food safety guidelines, kitchen sanitation requirements, and food safety and sanitation is around for a reason. Each year, germs and bacteria such as the norovirus, salmonella, and e. coli cause thousands of illnesses and deaths.
Food handling safety and food preparation safety are integral to ensuring food safety and sanitation in the kitchen of eating establishments as well as at home. The biggest culprits of compromising food safety and sanitation are vegetables and raw meat. Although most food related illnesses are minor and go unreported, about 2.2 million people report getting sick from consuming leafy vegetables each year. And produce foods, including vegetables, fruits and nuts, sicken 4.4 million people each year! Raw meat, particularly contaminated poultry, can be very deadly, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, contributes toward 19 percent of food related deaths.
What steps can you take to ensure food safety and sanitation in your kitchen? The following are a few food safety tips to ensure kitchen hygiene. Most importantly, wash, wash, wash, your hands with warm water and soap thoroughly each time you handle raw foods, including vegetables. Speaking of vegetables and fruit, wash them thoroughly as well prior to consumption. Food safety and sanitation tips also recommend using colored cutting boards for different raw foods to ensure no cross contamination occurs. Of course, sanitize these cutting boards after each use. Securely wrap, cover, and date the foods you store in your refrigerator or freezer. Another surprising danger to food safety and sanitation? Dish towels. Use disposable paper towels to dry your hands and clean up messes. Only use dish towels to handle hot items, or, obviously, dry your clean dishes. With these and other food safety and sanitation measures, you can make steps toward ensuring the integrity of the food you consume. More: www.keepingitkleen.com