Why a clean kitchen is necessary to safe food preparation

I am not an expert on food or kitchen but I am a mother of a toddler who loves her way into the kitchen all the time and that pretty much makes it my business to keep the kitchen clean, germ free and safe. There are two aspects of kitchen cleaning, first to keep it clean enough to cook and second, handling the cooked food in a way that the kitchen continues to remain clean.

Grains, cereals, vegetables, fruits, water, milk, curd, lentils, tea, coffee, sugar, utensils, dish cleaning liquids, paper towels all this and more are stocked up in the kitchen. We use several of the above items from time to time for cooking and eating so it is not only necessary but crucial to the health of the whole family that the kitchen is clean. These essentials of the kitchen, if not stored, used and preserved properly, act as a breeding ground for germs and bacteria and the result can be disastrous. Wiping the kitchen clean everyday after meals not only eliminates existing dirt and germs but also gives us a clean platform for cooking the next meal. All necessary material to cook is brought from outside the house from stores and markets. Changing hundreds of hands, they finally find their place in our kitchen. If not cleaned, the kitchen would surely be a place to cook but the quality of food is bound to suffer. The dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, microwave, sink are all carriers of germs and health hazardous particles if not cleaned and disinfected from time to time. A filthy kitchen also invites all kinds of insects, mosquitoes and cockroaches. What we don’t bother to remove, the insects love to feast on.

So much of emphasis has been laid on fresh food since ages, wonder why? Because the same food which was safe and healthy and nutritious 24 hours ago is now stale, unhealthy and filled with bacteria if not stored or preserved properly. Keeping a kitchen clean just doesn’t mean wiping the place clean for cooking, it also means suitable disposal of cooked food or whatever remains of it. Unused cut portions of raw vegetables must go in a bag and into the refrigerator, frozen stuff also must be stored at appropriate temperature, leftovers must be covered and stored in a cool place. Oil which has been used for frying can not be used again and again and again. Recipes which have milk or milk products in them must be eaten up within a certain amount of time. These are not very difficult things to do and adhering to them in routine keeps the kitchen germ free, clean and suitable for cooking food that is safe to eat. If you fall sick eating food outside the home, it is bad luck but if the same happens at home, it is inexcusable. Remember, a little effort goes a long way in protecting the health of your loved ones.

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Tagged with: Food Preparation • Liquids • Necessary Material