Importance Of Kitchen Hygiene

The Kitchen is the heartbeat of a house. It is where we make food, Wash vessels, Store Items (Snacks, Cutlery, Machinery etc). Therefore it is very important to maintain cleanliness in the kitchen, a kitchen that is not clean will attract rats, cockroaches, ants, all of which spread germs, bacteria and other harmful micro-organism which can not be seen by the naked eye. It is not only important to clean the worktops but also the floor, your hands and your feet. Here are a few ways to ensure your kitchen hygiene is maintained.

According to a article from Forbes that came out in 2017 your kitchen sponge has more germs than your toilet Yes Toilet! some suggest this is because of your toilet being drier than your kitchen.

Kitchen Hygiene

Signs Of Poor Kitchen Hygiene

1. Not clearing the trash can regularly.
2. Not washing cloth used in the kitchen regularly.
3. Leaving dirty dishes outside for too long.
4. Not storing food correctly.
5. Kitchen machinery being kept dirty (microwave, dishwasher etc.)

Diseases Caused Due To Poor Kitchen Hygiene

1. Food Poisoning: It is a food-borne illness caused by contaminated, toxic, spoiled food.
2. Staphylococcus Aureus: Symptoms include stomach pain and vomiting. The bacteria are found on humans (Particularly in the nose, throat, skin, and ears) and is transferred to food through poor hygiene practices. 
3. Listeria: Mild flu like illness caused in healthy people, but can lead to Septicemia and Meningitis in the young and elderly. Listeria can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth. Caused by unpasteurized soft cheese and meat pates.
4. Other Diseases: Pneumonia, Skin infection, Colds and Flu etc.

Prevention

1. Wash hands before handling food and always after handling raw meat, raw vegetables and fruit.
2. Keep food preparation surfaces and utensils clean and disinfected.
3. Prepare and store raw meat and “Ready to eat” food separately.
4. Always keep raw and defrosted meat at the base of the refrigerator.
5. Store unwashed raw vegetables separately from ‘ready to eat’ food.
6. Ensure that your refrigerator and freezer and working efficiently and are maintaining temperatures below 5 degree Celsius.
7. Check the expiry or ‘use by’ date and ensure you use the food before that date.
8. Keep pets away from food preparation surfaces.
9. Defrost meat before cooking.
10. Cool food immediately after cooking and never allow it to be at room temperature for more than 60-90 minutes and always store the left-over food in the refrigerator after you are done with your meal.

It is important to maintain kitchen hygiene as well as personal hygiene in the kitchen to stay free of germs. Follow these steps and you are less likely to fall sick because of your kitchen.