5 overlooked areas in the kitchen that harbor the most germs

health

by alexandra klausner

What's on the menu? Bacteria, according to experts.

Your kitchen can harbor harmful bacteria, and your dinner could pose a health risk if you're not careful.

Here is a list of the top 5 dirtiest places in your kitchen and a little bit about how to keep them clean.

Refrigerator meat/vegetable compartment

It's hard not to clean the refrigerator Not cool.

According to research from the National Sanitation Foundation, the vegetable and meat drawers of your refrigerator can contain pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, yeast, and mold.

The foundation recommends people store produce on a separate shelf above raw meat, poultry and seafood.

They say that to clean the crisper or meat compartment, you need to remove the drawers and use a clean sponge or cloth to wash the drawers with mild detergent and warm water.

Next, we suggest using a baking soda solution to prevent orders.

Cleaning should be done monthly or in case of gravy spills.

Drexel University's program director for culinary arts and food science, Rosemary Trout, told Delish that drawers should be kept at a temperature of 41 degrees Fahrenheit or below because “cold temperatures slow bacterial growth.”

kitchen sink

The kitchen sink owes its reputation as one of the most dangerous places in the kitchen to its role as a receptacle for cooked and uncooked food scraps, especially raw meat.

According to experts, a buildup of dirt called biofilm in your sink can cause persistent coughs, colds, and even ear infections.

According to Plumbworld, biofilms not only stink, but they can also be dangerous, leading to listeria, salmonella, E. coli, MRSA, and legionella infections.

“Eventually, that biofilm might even get big enough to break off and stick to food and utensils,” said Kelly Reynolds, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona School of Public Health. Kelly Reynolds said.

Sponges, rags, cleaning brushes

It's easy to wash the dishes after every meal, but do you also wash your cleaning supplies?

According to a study published in Scientific Reports, your kitchen sponge can have as much bacteria on it as the inside of your toilet.

Jennifer Quinlan, a microbiologist at Drexel University, told NPR the following ways to keep sponges clean: keeping sponges away from raw meat, changing sponges every two weeks, and drying dishes on a heated dry cycle. Clean the sponge every few days by putting it in water or dampening it and putting it in the microwave for 1 minute

“Sponges cannot be sterilized,” she says. “But remember, what we want to kill is the bacteria that causes disease.”

spice jar

If you're not careful, spice jars do more than just add flavor to your food.

A November 2022 study published in the Journal of Food Protection found that space bottles caused the highest levels of cross-contamination in home kitchens.

That's because people tend to pick up spices after handling raw meat or vegetables stored in contaminated drawers.

“Sometimes people sprinkle dried spices from a jar with the hands they just handled raw food,” Trout told Delish.

Experts recommend washing the outside of spice jars with hot soapy water and weighing the spices inside the container before handling raw meat.

door handles and knobs

Clean steering wheel dials and doorknobs.

People frequently touch kitchen surfaces with dirty hands, which can harbor dangerous bacteria such as listeria, salmonella, staphylococcus, and norovirus.

If the surface is rough, more bacteria may be present.

Trout told Delish to wash the handles and knobs daily with hot, soapy water.