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Kitchen Safety

TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-448 -- More Projects »
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Wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat and poultry. Rub hands vigorously for at least 10 seconds, and wipe down the faucet handles with a paper towel when you're finished.
Field reporter Joe Lovitt visits with professional cook Claudia Sutherland to gather some tips on safety in the kitchen.
  • When putting away leftovers, make sure food is completely cool before placing into the refrigerator. A hot dish can cause the heat to rise in a refrigerator, encouraging the growth of bacteria. Put a hot dish in ice water to cool before storing.

  • To prevent poultry or meat from spoiling, make sure the temperature in the refrigerator is 40 degrees or below. Purchase a thermometer to check the actual temperature.

  • Keep foods either hot or cold to prevent bacteria from growing. Hot is 160 degrees or above and cool is 40 degrees or below. Be especially careful with raw poultry.

  • Do not allow chicken or other meats to marinate at room temperature. Always return to the refrigerator after placing meat in a marinade.

  • Make it a practice to carefully wash your hands after handling poultry. Wash and bleach a cutting board after cutting any kind or raw meat. Use a mixture of one part bleach to two parts water. Use a spray bottle to conveniently spray down any contaminated areas with the bleach-and-water mixture.

  • Do not mix bleach with other cleaning products. The combination could produce toxic fumes.

  • Kitchen safety involves practicing safe food-handling techniques and making sure the physical environment of the kitchen is a safe place to work.

  • Don't keep loose area rugs in the kitchen. They could cause slips and falls, resulting in hot dishes being spilled or possible contact with a hot stove. Make sure rugs in the kitchen have rubber on the back that will keep them in place and the corners flat.

  • When remodeling a kitchen, don't be tempted to use glazed tile on the floor. The tiles become very slippery when wet, and the hard surface means that just about any glass item will break if dropped on the kitchen floor.

  • Always keep a towel handy to mop up spills.
Guests
Claudia Sutherland
International Food Consultant / President, When The Mood Is Food
5712 View Lane
Edina, MN 55436
Phone: 952-938-0162
Fax: 952-938-4665
E-mail: foodmood2@aol.com
Also in this Episode
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-448
•Cedar Window Box
•Caring for Winter Coats
•Kitchen Safety
•Tip of the Day
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