After dinner each evening, you spend several minutes wiping down the kitchen counters and cleaning the sink.
Is that measly effort good enough to keep germs at bay?
No, according to a new study by a professor of virology at St. Bartholomew's and the Royal London Hospital. John Oxford, the professor who led the study, concluded that the bathroom in your home is probably more sanitary than your kitchen.
The problem isn't a lack of elbow grease, according to Oxford's research. Most of the blame goes to the sponge and the dish towel – often referred to as the carriers of cross-contamination.
"Well, think about it," said Shelley Feist, executive director of the Fight Bac Partnership for Food Safety Education. "Take the dish towel, for example. You mop up a spill from raw chicken. Then you pat the dog and wipe your hand on the towel. Then you use the towel to dry a utensil or wipe your child's face."
In a phone interview from her office in Washington, D.C., Feist said cross-contamination involving food-borne bacteria is a common cause of illness in the United States.
According to public health and food safety experts cited by Feist, each year tens of millions of illnesses in the United States can be traced to food-borne bacteria. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that as many as 3 percent of food-borne illnesses can lead to long-term problems.
"Our mantra is 'Clean, separate, cook and chill,' " Feist said. "Clean means wash hands and surfaces often and use hot, soapy water. Separate means keep raw foods away from cooked foods. Cook means heating raw foods, especially meat and poultry, to at least 165 degrees. Then chill foods to below 40 degrees within two hours of cooking."
Feist said human hands aresignificant carriers of germs.
"We do so many things we are not even aware of. We pet the dog, answer the phone, pack a lunch – all without washing hands – and every time you do one of those things, you are moving germs from one place to another," she said.
"The most important thing you can do is wash your hands frequently. Not just a quick rinse under warm water. You need to use soap and spend at least 20 seconds rubbing your hands together. Clean between your fingers, around your nails, the back of your hands and your palms."
In 2004, the Journal of the American Dietetic Association published a study in which 92 consumers were videotaped as they prepared food in their homes. Only one-third of the subjects used soap to wash, and the average time spent hand-washing was significantly less than the 20 seconds recommended.
The study showed that nearly all subjects cross-contaminated raw meat, poultry, seafood, eggs and/or unwashed vegetables with ready-to-eat foods multiple times during food preparation.
Other sources of bacteria include the kitchen sink and the kitchen sponge – often left damp, warm and unwashed.
"It's a perfect place for bacteria to grow," said Feist. "You are better off using a paper towel to clean kitchen counters. You use it once and toss it into the trash. Some experts recommend sanitizing the sponge in the microwave, but I think it's better to run it through a cycle in the dishwasher or washing machine. Better yet, just use a dishcloth that can be tossed into the washing machine with some bleach."
Oxford's research showed that the kitchen sink can be contaminated with bacteria from fruits and vegetables, pets and children.
"It could be the most contaminated place in the kitchen," said Feist. "It's dark, wet and warm."
Household bleach can be your best defense against germs, according to Feist. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends using 1 tablespoon of bleach to a gallon of water for sanitizing household surfaces. Spray or wipe the bleach solution on surfaces, allow it to stand for a minute or two, then wipe it off with a paper towel. You can use the same method to sanitize your kitchen sponge.
Here are tips from the Fight Bac Partnership for keeping kitchen germs under control:
• Wash your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, and use warm, running water and plenty of soap. If running water isn't available, use a hand-sanitizing solution.
• Use a thermometer to tell if food has been cooked to a safe temperature of 165 degrees for chicken or 160 degrees for ground beef.
• Wash produce under clean, running tap water and blot it dry with a clean towel or paper towel before you eat it.
• Scrub thick-rind fruit such as cantaloupe or watermelon with a brush before cutting it; that will prevent transferring bacteria from the skin to the inside as you cut through it.
• Make sure your refrigerator is kept at 40 degrees or lower. Between 40 and 140 degrees is the danger zone for perishable foods such as dairy and meat – the zone where bacteria can grow.
• Keep raw and cooked foods separated, especially raw poultry and meat.
Call The Bee's Gwen Schoen, (916) 321-1146.
