KITCHEN CLEANLINESS

Kitchen hygiene

Lack of hygiene in the kitchen is one of the main causes of food poisoning.

Find the key points of good hygiene in the kitchen!

We are surrounded by germs. To prevent them from falling on our plate, a reminder of the few basic rules that must govern our cooking.

Infectious risks

Hygiene in the kitchen helps protect against foodborne infections. In his book "We wash our hands of it", Dr. Frédéric Saldmann encourages us to apply a few precise and effective rules on a daily basis.

• Wash out your fridge every two weeks with bleach or vinegar.

• Use the different compartments so as not to mix raw food from outside with cooked food ready to be eaten.

• Avoid leftovers and never keep them for very long. If they are not consumed the next day or the day after, they must be thrown away. The longer they are stored, the more germs they contain.

• Wash hands very thoroughly before cooking and after handling raw foods.

• Never a wooden cutting board because the microbes nestle in the grooves and multiply there, despite washing after each use.

• Change the cloth very often, at the risk of contaminating everything you want to wipe (dishes, utensils, food, hands, etc.).

• Wash your sponge after each use and change it as often as possible. A sponge is a real reservoir for germs...

• Wash the trash can at least once a week with bleach.

Special dietary risks

The case of meat Only thorough cooking of meat and fish can protect against certain infectious agents such as Listeria. The risk of infection is particularly high with minced meat. The fact that it is chopped and then spread considerably increases the permeability to microbes, the manipulations and ultimately the possible contacts with the surrounding micro-organisms. It is therefore recommended to eat the minced steaks quickly after purchase and to cook them well, ie the meat should not be red in the center. Also note that it is imperative to wash all the aromatic herbs well...

The case of fresh mayonnaise Mayonnaise is a very risky product in terms of food infection. So much so that communities forbid it and now use industrial preparations offering more safety. Indeed, as Dr Frédéric Saldmann points out, mayonnaise represents an "excellent culture broth". It is therefore strongly advised to consume it immediately and to throw away the surplus.

Hygiene and food safety

Hygiene and the preservation of food at the right temperature are imperatives that meet the same objective: to reduce microbiological risks.

The results led it to formulate two essential recommendations in terms of hygiene and food safety.

Fridge temperature: less than or equal to 4°C

It is strongly recommended to regularly check that the temperature in your fridge is +4°C maximum. It is between zero and +4°C that food keeps best. Because this temperature considerably slows down the growth of microorganisms.