Posted on 10/20/2022 11:09:32 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
A study on the potential for cross-contaminating kitchen surfaces with pathogens during food preparation has pointed to an unlikely culprit for spreading sickness: spice containers.
Detailing findings, Donald Schaffner, concluded that when consumers are preparing meals, spice containers can easily become cross-contaminated with health-threatening microorganisms. Cross-contamination is the process by which microbes are transferred from one substance or object to another, often with harmful effects.
The researchers found the most frequently contaminated objects were spice containers, with about 48 percent of the samples showing evidence of MS2 contamination. This prevalence of contamination was significantly different from many other surfaces sampled. Cutting boards and trash can lids were the second and third most contaminated. Faucet handles were the least contaminated object studied.
"We were surprised because we had not seen evidence of spice container contamination before," Schaffner said. "Most research on the cross-contamination of kitchen surfaces due to handling of raw meat or poultry products has focused on kitchen cutting boards or faucet handles and has neglected surfaces like spice containers, trash bin lids and other kitchen utensils. This makes this study and similar studies from members of this group more comprehensive than previous studies."
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Poor mise en place. If you get everything out and measured before you even start to cook, things go more smoothly.
I don’t rub the tops of my seasoning containers on my steaks, burgers or chicken. I can’t dip your fingers into spice jars. I sprinkle the spices from above.
How in the world does cross-contamination occur? This doesn’t pass a seasoned smell test.
... The spice must flow...
“If you get everything out and measured before you even start to cook, things go more smoothly.”
Maybe, but if you never adjust your seasoning while you are cooking, you’re an amateur.
“How in the world does cross-contamination occur? This doesn’t pass a seasoned smell test.”
People handle raw meat and spices at the same time.
After doing a recipe a few times, salt is generally the only thing I need to adjust.
For the most part you will not find it in home kitchens unless they are VERY careless.
But a lot of professional kitchens have open metal shelving above the prep and cooking area where they place things. They want to maximize their prep and cooking space. But droplets carry further then you think.
I realized this decades ago. Always make sure to keep the seasoning containers clean, and if using while my hands are fouled, I then proceed to wash them thoroughly on the outside after cleaning my hands.
We were taught how to handle raw meat. Many young Americans today are terrified of even touching raw meat.
I don’t think they are referring to the contents but to the outside of the containers being a source of cross contamination.
This actually makes a lot of sense. When I’m cooking, particularly if I’m cutting meat, I am always thinking about washing before I touch anything else. As soon as you touch something, you’re setting it up to cause you problems the next time you touch it, unless your hands are clean.
Similar to spreading Covid in a restaurant where infected people are handling menus and table condiments? Betcha the hand sanitizer fanatics never thought about that though.
Don’t ever set em on the counter. They belong in a rack or the cupboard
Ketchup bottles on restaurant tables: Yeech!
The initial seasoning is when you are handling the meat and the spice containers at the same time.
Once the cooking is started you have washed your hands and cleaned up the cutting board etc. and are making any seasoning adjustments to the cooking pot/pan, with clean hands.
Ever been sitting at a restaurant table, pick up the salt or pepper shaker...and it sticks to your hands?
Worse yet...a BBQ joint and you stick to the BBQ sauce bottle when you pick it up?
Make it up as you go along, baby! The only way to cook.
Much prefer to eat at home.
Embrace the germs! Natural immunity!
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