You may never have thought about it, but even the most experienced people in the kitchen are not free to make certain mistakes when preparing their food, washing dishes, or organizing food in the refrigerator.
Not always clean sink and food in the fridge are synonymous that everything is in order with the food that goes to the family table! That's because, microorganisms? like fungi and bacteria? They are villains that hide in packaging, utensils and proliferate in food when it is handled, prepared and stored improperly.
In short: such microorganisms pose a danger to human health, so careful food preparation / consumption and cooking in general is critical!
With that in mind, below is a list of some dangerous mistakes you may be making when preparing your food (and taking care of the kitchen in general), as well as guidelines on how to avoid it. Worth paying attention to!
1. Do not wash the kitchen sponge
The kitchen sponge is in direct contact with the germs and bacteria contained in the sink. Therefore it is essential that it is sanitized.
To do this, after using the sponge, remove any remaining food that has become stuck. In addition to food, it is worth mentioning that bacteria love moisture, so you should wring the sponge so that much of the water is dispensed.
Another good alternative is to put the sponge for about 15 minutes in a mixture of 1 tablespoon of bleach in 1 liter of water.
Finally, it's no use wanting to use the same sponge for a long time. In general, it is recommended to change within one to two weeks, depending on the frequency of use.
2. Leave cloth drying over sink
Do you have a habit of wiping the sink with a cloth and then letting it dry on it for a long time ?! This is one more mistake that can have dangerous consequences in the kitchen as bacteria love moisture.
The guideline is to wash the cloth immediately after use and to let it dry away from the sink.
3. Have a dump on the sink
This is a common habit in many homes, but it is also a big mistake. This is because garbage naturally attracts microorganisms (which, being in the sink, will more easily contaminate the dishes and food).
The solution is to put the trash on the floor and change the bag daily. To disinfect plastic trash cans a good tip is to use bleach or lysoform. If the trash is made of iron, only bleach should be used.
4. Do not wash hands before and during food preparation.
This is a mistake that sounds "simple", but it is very dangerous in the kitchen.
The right thing is to wash your hands whenever you do something in the kitchen, such as picking up some food from the fridge, when you start preparing a dish, etc. And always be washing your hands again, as you move another food and / or utensil during the preparation of food.
5. Use wooden planks and spoons
Wooden boards and spoons are not recommended as the material is porous and difficult to truly clean. Give preference to plastic planks and metal and plastic cutlery.
6. Use the same meat and vegetable cutting board
This is a common and quite dangerous mistake that can promote cross contamination. Therefore, use a specific board for the preparation of each type of food.
7. Do not wash the dish rack
A lot of people end up forgetting to wash the dish drainer, but this is also a very important habit that will prevent dishes, glasses etc. are contaminated.
8. Clean floor with detergent and bleach together
Of course the kitchen floor needs to be well sanitized, however, it is not recommended to use detergent and bleach together, so one solution nullifies the effect of the other.
Ideally, use a cloth dampened with the detergent solution and then a cloth with the bleach solution.
9. Get ready food at room temperature
After preparing food, it is not recommended to leave it at room temperature, for example on the stove or table. Ideally, always keep food cool (fridge / freezer).
10. Drink hot drinks in plastic jars
It is good to avoid having coffee, tea or hot chocolate in plastic cups. This is because heat in plastic containers promotes the release of dioxins that are highly carcinogenic. A healthier alternative is to use glass or ceramic material for this.
11. Not organizing food well in the refrigerator
Attention is required when placing certain foods in the refrigerator.Fruits and vegetables, for example, which do not have to be kept too low, should be on the bottom or in the drawer.
Water, mustard, ketchup, for example, which are products that do not necessarily have to be kept cool, can be placed on the refrigerator door.
12. Wash the eggs before placing them in the fridge.
This is one more dangerous mistake because eggs have porous shell and, with washing, water can get into the egg along with dirt. The most recommended is to wash them only before breaking the shell.
13. Leave eggs in the fridge door
Eggs should not be left in the refrigerator door yet, because they are highly perishable because they are protein and can easily spoil with the opening and closing of the door (which is very common).
Ideally, take the eggs from their original packaging and put them in containers or leave them in the refrigerator's proper place.
14. Do not wash sheets that have been purchased and place them in the refrigerator.
Another common mistake is to buy leaves (such as lettuce, arugula, etc.) and keep them in the plastic bag by placing them directly in the refrigerator (without washing them).
The ideal is to wash the leaves as soon as you get them home, removing the spoiled ones (which can spoil the others if they stay there), if applicable; and store them in a lid canister? And then, yes, put it in the fridge.
15. Do not wash soda and beer cans
A very common mistake is to buy soda or beer cans and take them straight to the refrigerator; that is without washing them before. The cans? that were in storage, supermarkets etc. ? They are likely to have been contaminated by rats, cockroaches and should therefore be washed as soon as possible.
16. Freeze thawed meat
Many people have a habit of defrosting the meat and, if not used, freezing it again. However, this should not be done as it greatly increases food contamination by microorganism.
Is it best to always freeze meat in small portions? ie ideal to consume in a single meal.
17. Wash the red meat
Another common mistake is washing red meat? which, in addition to making it look whitish, takes part of its nutrients.
The ideal is to thaw it and then use it directly to prepare the dish.
18. Remove all meat at once from the fridge at barbecue time
At barbecue time, do some people usually take all the meat? already thawed and seasoned? from the fridge and leave them next to the barbecue so it can be done when possible. However, this kind of attitude can increase the contamination of food greatly.
The ideal is to slowly remove the meat from the refrigerator, season the chosen cuts and place them directly on the barbecue.
And do you, or have you ever made any of these mistakes? Always be careful to avoid them, ensuring more cleanliness for your kitchen and especially health for you and your whole family!
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