b e t t e r
h e a l t h
G ra d in g Y o u r K itc h e n
Could your kitchen pass the inspection
that restaurants undergo?
BY LIN D SEY A SP IN A LL G E T Z
f
ood safety is serious stuff to you, our readers: In a
survey we recently completed, two-thirds of all
Better Homes and Gardens
readers said they were
concerned about food safety issues.
For good reason too. According to the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, there are 76 million cases
of foodborne illnesses each year. You might be surprised to
learn that most of these cases start in home kitchens, not at
your local greasy spoon. That’s because restaurants are
required to meet strict food handling-guidelines and pass
regular inspections.
New York City, for example, has about 22,000 restaurants,
which are inspected at random at least once a year by the
City of New York Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene. We asked Dr. Jessica Leighton, the department’s
Deputy Commissioner for Environmental Health, and who
oversees the inspection program, what it requires to pass
their test. You can use this information to check on your
own food safety practices at home.
what it
takes
NO STA IN , NO PAIN
No
food splatters would be
tolerated in a professional
kitchen’s microwave— or
anywhere else for that
matter. Dried-up food on
any surface can grow
bacteria and is an indication
that sanitation is lacking.
R IN SE A N D R EPEA T
Restaurants are required to
have a separate sink for
hand washing. W hile it’s
not ideal to wash hands in
the same sink you prepare
food in, it’s inevitable at
home. So make sure the
sink is well rinsed after
each hand washing. And
wash hands frequently,
both before cooking and
after handling high-risk
food item s. Unwashed
hands cause most cases of
cross-contam ination. Use
your elbow to turn on taps,
and buy a hands-free soap
dispenser for the kitchen.
H O T A N D COLD Proper
tem peratures inhibit the
growth of pathogens, so
remember the food service
m antra: Keep hot foods hot
and cold foods cold. Always
refrigerate leftovers within
two hours of serving.
S A FE SU R FA CES Both
wood and plastic cutting
boards are acceptable, if
cleaned and sanitized after
each use (wash with soap
and water, rinse, then wash
with a bleach/water ratio of
one tablespoon bleach to a
gallon of water, and let air
dry). Separate cutting
boards are required for
item s that can carry
foodborne illnesses. Adopt
this practice at home by
keeping at least two boards
that look different from
each other, either in color
or in style. Use one only for
low -risk item s, such as
bread, cheese, washed
veggies, and fully cooked
foods. Use the other for
high-risk item s, such as raw
m eats, poultry, and fish. A
cutting board that shows
discoloration or scratches
should be tossed.
PLAY KEEP-A W AY
Storing your cleaning
supplies under the sink is
fine. Storing your cleaning
supplies under the sink
next to pots, pans, and
cutting boards is not fine.
In a restaurant, cleaners
m ust be kept in an entirely
separate storage area to
prevent any chance of
dangerous chem icals
contam inating food.
SO P IT A N D T O S S IT A
University of Arizona study
found that an average
household sponge can
harbor up to 7 billion
bacteria. So use disposable
cleaning m aterials such as
paper towels for raw meat
or egg m esses. Replace
dishtow els with clean ones
every day. Wash and dry
dirty ones on the hot cycle.
DRIP DR
A mop should
be stored hanging. Left on
the ground, it is less likely
to dry, leaving the potential
for mold or bacteria growth.
Place a bucket under the
hanging mop, throw out the
dirty water as it collects,
then clean the bucket.
2 5 6 0 CTO8 ER 2009 BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS
PHOTO: VEER
