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According to a recent study published in Food Protection Journal It could be Less obvious place. Commissioned by researchers Food Safety and Inspection Department From the United States, 371 people were recruited to study how substances can contaminate various foods in our kitchens.
Most importantly, the participants thought they were trying new recipes. In fact, they were participating in a study on cross contamination. According to the latest scientific review of food standards agency, Around 2.4 million cases of foodborne illness occur each year in the UK alone.
Benjamin Chapmanone of the lead authors of the US study, said: “Cross-contamination — the transfer of pathogens from raw meat or seafood to surfaces or other foods via hands or utensils — is one of the most common factors in reducing the likelihood of infection. Contract diseases Homemade food.
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cook for safe temperatures and the personal cleanliness An important factor in the spread of infection Norovirus, hepatitis A y shigella. But, according to the expert, “many pathogens can be transmitted by cross contamination: Salmonella, Campylobacter, pathogenic Escherichia coli, Listeria …”.
in the same line, Anthony Wilson, microbiology of British Food Standards Agency, “Symptoms range from a relatively mild discomfort to a serious illness that can be life-threatening for some people,” he stressed.
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“Anyone can get food poisoning, but some people are at higher risk, such as pregnant women, young children, the elderly and those with a weakened immune system,” he said.
Also, as Chapman noted, of all the causes of food poisoning, cross-contamination is “a particularly sensitive issue.” “Bacteria and viruses cannot be seen physically, so it is very difficult to know what Pathogens It might be there in the kitchen.” Or, at least, that was before his studies shed light on these pathogens.
For the research, volunteer participants were asked to prepare a dossier Turkey burger From the beginning. Unbeknownst to them, they minced meat She was inoculated with a harmless tracer bacteria called MS2. “It is common not to tell individuals that they are part of this type of investigation,” he said. Donald Schaffner The lead author of the study is a professor in the Department of Food Sciences Rutgers School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, in New Jersey. because?
This knowledge may have caused them to act differently. We want them to behave as naturally as they do in the kitchen.” As soon as the chefs emerged from their kitchens, the scientists pounced on them, wiping down kitchen surfaces—from pots to countertops—for traces of cross-contamination.
Results? surfaces on which we observe Microorganisms They were: the knife handle, the cutting board, the handles of the frying pan and the electric handle, the inner surface of the sink, the kitchen towel and the sponge, the handle of the faucet, the soap dispenser, the handle of the “refrigerator and the lid of the trash can,” Schaffner explained.
There were no big surprises, but there was good news on this front: “Positivity on most surfaces did not exceed 20%.
However, there was unexpected situation. And Hotspot Which surprised even the researchers. the spice jars. “he 48% of the samples showed evidence of cross contamination”, Schaffner explained. They also have the highest concentrations of microorganisms distinction.”
Spice jars weren’t just a surface Most common Polluted in the kitchen, but also used to be more or more polluted. More than a basket lid, a knife, or even a sink. because?
The study concluded, “Consumers may not necessarily consider cleaning or decontaminating spice containers after cooking because they are not often flagged as high-risk surfaces for cross-contamination in consumer messages.” We spray and clean our cutting boards, knives, and sinks. But we forgot an important ingredient. How dangerous is the spice rack?
“If you handle a contaminated spice container and accidentally put your finger in your mouth, you could swallow pathogens and get sick,” Schaffner said. But it’s hard to tell How harmful or dangerous they can be Spice containers for our health.”
According to the expert, “Once the microorganism is transferred to the spice container, it slowly dies over time. But it is certainly possible to detect the organism after days or in some cases after weeks.”
his advice? “Anytime we touch raw meat, we are likely to have pathogens on our hands. Anything we touch after touching raw meat will be contaminated with pathogens. Even the spice jar we used in the middle of preparing a meal. So we have to wash our hands with soap and water.”
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