Smartphones are something we often carry with us wherever we go, including the bathroom and kitchen. While the hygiene risks of bringing your smartphone into the bathroom are well known, the dangers of leaving it in the kitchen are less well known.
But tapping away on your phone while handling raw ingredients can be more dangerous than you might think, something home cooks often do unconsciously while researching new recipes or taking notes on their phones.
A new study by Ireland-based food safety watchdog SafeFood has found that an alarming number of people don't wash their hands between handling raw food and equipment.
Researchers found that a third (33%) of home cooks don't wash their hands after handling raw chicken. For egg handling, this number jumps to 75%.
SafeFood warned that if home cooks don't wash their hands after handling raw food, they can easily spread bacteria such as salmonella and E. coli, which can cause food poisoning.
The group added that these bacteria can survive on smartphones and other devices for more than 24 hours.
The researchers found that although most of those surveyed demonstrated a good awareness of cross-contamination in the kitchen and proper food safety practices, participants considered the use of equipment in the kitchen to be the “least likely source of cross-contamination.”
This suggests that “awareness and knowledge are not linked to actual behavior.'' The study authors added: “The perceived low risk of foodborne illness in the household creates a behavioral challenge in which safety measures in food preparation are not prioritized.”
Almost one in five participants continued preparing food immediately after touching the device, and one in three washed their hands with soap after using the device when handling food.
However, only 10% of participants said they clean their devices daily, suggesting that while people are aware that devices are a source of germs, many do not clean them properly.
The study also found that there are differences in the way people handle food and equipment depending on age and gender.
Older participants were more likely to wash their hands with soap immediately after handling raw meat and were less likely to use equipment while preparing or cooking food. They were also more likely to have greater knowledge of food safety and higher levels of awareness of 'equipment-borne germs'.
Women were more likely than men to wash their hands with soap while preparing and cooking food. While women were more likely to use their devices while cooking or preparing meals, they were also more likely to use antibacterial wipes to clean their devices compared to male participants.
how to cook food safely
Here are the steps you should take when preparing and cooking to minimize the risk of cross-contamination and food poisoning.
Wash your hands before and after cooking
Washing your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap and drying them with a clean hand towel will help prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen. This should also be done between handling ingredients and any devices such as phones, tablets, etc. Do not touch your phone after handling raw foods.
Keep your worktops clean
Wash your kitchen countertops with hot, soapy water before and after cooking. Placing your phone on an uncleaned countertop risks picking up harmful bacteria.
Sanitize your devices before and after cooking
SafeFood recommends using antibacterial wipes containing at least 70% alcohol to significantly reduce contamination of the surface of your smart device. When cleaning, pay close attention to the screen, buttons, and edges.
Read more about diet and health:
