Poor Kitchen Habits put Health at Risk

More than half of us regularly expose family and friends to the perils of food poisoning by not washing a chopping board that had been used to prepare raw meat, according to new research.

The research, by Safefood, the food safety promotion board, revealed that when preparing food, 52% of people chopped lettuce on a chopping board that had been used for raw meat without washing it first.

Consumers were observed in a test kitchen and the results showed that of those who did wash the chopping board:

• 66% did not wash it properly with hot soapy water
• 32% still had bacteria from raw meat on their hands when they left the kitchen.

The results also showed that 90% of kitchens tested positive for raw meat bacteria at the end of food preparation.

Dr. Thomas Quigley, Director, Science and Technical, Safefood explained that to prevent the spread of dangerous bacteria such as E. coli and Campylobacter different cooking utensils and clean or separate chopping boards should be used for raw and ready-to-eat foods.

The Safefood research also showed that a quarter of cooks served burgers that were underdone, which could cause food poisoning.

“Meat that has been minced, skewered or rolled such as burgers, sausages and kebabs should be cooked thoroughly and never served rare or pink in the middle. To kill any bacteria that could cause food poisoning, these meats must be cooked thoroughly until piping hot all the way through, the juices run clear and until there is no pink meat left,” Dr Quigley continued.

Safefood’s advice for safe food preparation is:

• Always wash chopping boards with hot soapy water after preparing raw meat or use separate chopping boards
• Use separate cooking utensils and plates for raw meat and cooked foods
• Always keep ready-to-eat foods such as salads and cooked meat completely separate from raw meat to prevent cross contamination
• Always wash your hands before and after handling any food, particularly raw meat
• Make sure that your meat is properly cooked
• When cooking your meat, turn it frequently to ensure it is cooked evenly
• Marinade used on raw meat should not be used to coat vegetables or cooked meat
• Keep all your perishable food in the fridge or cool box for as long as possible

Further food safety advice is available by calling the Safefood helpline 1850 40 45 67 or visiting the Safefood website

Posted Monday 7th July 2008