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Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Amos Miller
Amos Miller 01 de Marzo de 2011

PAY ATTENTION! Cut your (and your diners') chances of getting seriously ill from contaminiation.

Today I read that a scientific sampling of shoppng carts showed that 50% of the carts carry ecoli bacteria.

You must assume that NO ONE IS WASHING THEIR HANDS. Protect your families and your diners. Remember that you probably carry these germs home with you.

1 - Use the sanitizing wipes often found near the shopping carts. If there are none, tell the manager to get some.

2 - Wash every piece of meat your bring into your kitchen. Just run the meat under water, give it a quick massage and dry it off with disposable towels. The abbatoir is notoriously risky to health, and why assume the guy packaging the meat at the grocery washed his hands after a personal break.

3 - wash your veggies under running water for a few moments, while it is said we all will eat a pound of dirt before we die, why rush it? Even in your own garden, you don't know what went into the soil overnight..

4 - soak your poultry in well-salted cold water for about 10 minutes. This will kill most germs. Then rinse the bird under running water and dry with a disposable towel.

5 - While it is not advisable to wash mushrooms, you should lightly brush them with a soft, mushroom brush, and cut the base from the stem.

6 - Yes, that sample from the hotplate in the store may be free - but is it free from bacteria? If you think you might like to eat the product being given away by the bite, BUY one and prepare it at home. With the possible exception of the deli counter, where food sanitation is usually observed rigorously, the grocery store is not the place to graze.

7 - AND WASH YOUR OWN HANDS FREQUENTLY when you work in the kitchen.

As you probably know, hand soap does not kill germs, the germs 'stick'to the bubbles and are rinsed off. Hand sanitizer kills most germs.

But, hey, you all know this stuff already... this survey will freak out a lot of compulsive neurotics, but the rest of us need to be vigilant. I have to go wash now because I don't know who might have used this keyboard last...

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Claudia lamascolo
Claudia lamascolo Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 01:36 AM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

wow this is awesome info here, thanks so much for taking the time to keep us foodies safe! xo

Amos Miller
Amos Miller Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 02:33 AM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Researchers from the University of Arizona swabbed shopping cart handles in four states looking for bacterial contamination. Of the 85 carts examined, 72 percent turned out to have a marker for fecal bacteria.

The researchers took a closer look at the samples from 36 carts and discovered Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, on 50 percent of them — along with a host of other types of bacteria.

The report also noted that the reusable bags we take back and forth to the store for our family shopping are virtual jungles of germs. Which would indicate few folks launder those bags regularly (hint).

The phrase the researcher used was "It would be like wearing the same underwear everyday..."




annie
annie Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 12:17 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Amos very good info I have more info to go with yours I was watching the news the other night .they had a report that they were talking about where the most germs were they said the office desk had more bacteria than a toilet seat. I forgot the number it was high there was a man on their doing swab test Menus and that lemon wedge we all like for them to put in our waters and tea well they showed it was covered with E.coli. .. Ok I am a teacher also and we regularly have trainings on teaching kids and ourselves handwashing so here is our teacher list of hand washing rules

1.Always use liquid soap the bar keeps the germs on it
2. Scrub hands between fingers underneath nails 20 seconds then rinse. 20 seconds is the ABC song twice
3.rinse hands get paper towel dry hands turn off water with said paper towel. Throw towel away

My students are preschool I've taught many their abc washing our hands you are right this may freak out the fanatics but I think they are onto something my uncle would never eat out because of germs he would cook at home and he constantly washed his hands if he ever came to my house to eat I made sure he knew I was washing my hands because he would not eat if I didn't oh and the chicken advice you gave is very good to because I used to work in abchucken plant and I've seen first hand that some if they drop the chicken in the floor they have picked it up and put it in the package they were packing they are suppose to put the chicken that hits the floor in a. Bucket and that chicken is shipped to the dog food plant well after working there I started washing my chicken although I never knew about putting it in salt water. Which I will do from now on

Anne Simpson
Anne Simpson Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 01:35 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

I think some exposure to bacteria is good for our immune systems - gives them something to do so they don't attack things like food proteins and pollen. I believe in cleanliness, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

Jann from PA
Jann from PA Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 02:34 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Speaking of mushrooms, I was trying to get foods precut for times when I have no one to do it for me (disabled cook). So, I got presliced mushrooms, and was amazed when I noticed that they were dirty! Wouldhave been better off with the whole ones as they are easier to clean than the pieces. I often have no other choice than to use the canned ones, unfortunatley...and fresh are so much better!

Jann from PA
Jann from PA Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 02:49 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Here's a good site for this info:
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/nfsmi/Information/handsindex.html

Booklet (48 page, PDF):
http://www.olemiss.edu/depts/nfsmi/Information/handwashing/booklet070804.pdf

Jann from PA
Jann from PA Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 02:59 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Guidelines are much more severe when you are cooking in public (eg. restaurant) than at home, wherejust clean is OK. My husband was using a feeding tube (directly into the stomach) and we were trained to be clean, not sterile. The stomach has acids that kill a lot of germs, so clean is good enough. But, when it comes to E. coli, viruses, and more on things like shopping carts, one needs to be more careful. And, with kids and babies, too. I am much more careful when flying than when I am using my own car (which is pretty clean). Trying to keep everything sterile will drive you crazy, but cleanliness is a good goal (I say that as a mother of 3 boys!).

Amos Miller
Amos Miller Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 05:22 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

This is all good. Anne - 'Clean' is the watchword. We all know that hospitals are great places to get sick, so that says much about the so-called 'sterile environment'. Actually, Anne, I totally agree with you: it is extremely important to build our immune systems, especially since we seem to live in an age of cluster viruses and the over-prescription of antibiotics.

But I'm sure not going to go out of my way to test my immune system unnecessarily. I think commion sense and vigilence are called for by all who engage in the feeding - or care- of others.

Jann is correct about the cooking in or for the public. Nothing will end a food businees quicker than the hint that one or more diners 'got sick' from eating there. That is the kitchen's nightmare come to life. I have seen it happen - and, as they say, it ain't pretty.

Anne Simpson
Anne Simpson Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 06:08 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

LOL, I totally agree that cooking for the public requires a high standard of cleanliness! I don't want bacteria served up on a platter;) at least not that kind of bacteria!

CyFy
CyFy Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 06:29 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Yes, =0) I am happy that you posted this Amos along with the info from Jann and Anne =0) Very helpful.

Amos Miller
Amos Miller Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 08:00 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Glad everyone agrees that it is always a benefit to be reminded of issues we really already know.

Susanna Yazzie
Susanna Yazzie Miércoles, 02 de Marzo de 2011 a las 08:23 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Thanks for writing about this. I never thought of rinsing or soaking chicken. I do know to clean up after I'm done with it. Thanks again, very helpful in many ways.

Amos Miller
Amos Miller Viernes, 04 de Marzo de 2011 a las 11:07 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Hi, Suzanna - the chicken thing is important, especially if you do not raise and/or slaughter your own birds. See Annie's comment above. The salt does kill the harmful bacteria - you just don't want to leave the bird in there too long, or you might as well be brining it. Actually, I wash all our fowl after a dunk in the salt water, even if I am brining it. 15 minutes is more than sufficient in cold (it should be about as cold as your hand can stand) water.

Pork is another meat that requires a tad more sanitation, but not quite as much as in decades past. Just a nice hot water and soap quick scub of the knife and cutting board before you move on to your next task and dry with disposable towels. Do not let these tools air dry - especially your best kitchen friend, your sharp, sharp knife.

annie
annie Sábado, 05 de Marzo de 2011 a las 05:30 PM
Re: Let's Eat Healthy Food - Not Crap

Also Amos another tool tip your best kitchen friend your sharp knife should never be put in your dish washer it dulls their edge

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