Do and Don’ts in the kitchen

When working in the kitchen with sharp-edged tools i.e. knives and extreme heat, accidents are more likely to happen in the kitchen. If you understand the dangers, it can help you and others to prevent severe cuts, burns and gastrointestinal disorder. Cooking is enjoyable, but kitchen security should be of prime concern. There are several tools and environmental factors that can be very hazardous. It is essential to be aware of anyone within the surroundings, particularly if you have little kids in the house. From correctly storing meals to cooking meats to the best temperature, here are many food safety do’s and don’ts to follow if you want to have good experience in your kitchen.

Do’s

• Do hold your knives in the right way

You should use knives efficiently. Kitchen fixed blade knives can be risky if not picked up decently. If you don’t feel easy with the knife, do ask for help. When using a knife to chop your vegetables, always cut at a distance from your hands and rest of body, toward a chopping board.

• Do wash your hands before entering the kitchen

Most of you often don’t remember to wash their hands before entering the kitchen and after leaving it. The microorganisms and viruses, mostly RNA virus present can result in food poisoning. Don’t forget to wash your hands properly before touching any food and after holding any raw meat. Use warm water to cleanse your hands. Properly scrub your hands, also between the fingers. Continue washing them for about 20-30 seconds and then dry them afterwards using a kitchen paper.

• Do clean up splashes on the floor

Make sure the floor of your kitchen is always dry to minimize the chance of slipping and falling. Dirty splashes on the outer surfaces like shelf or walls of the kitchen should be wiped instantly to minimize the chances of blemishes and discoloration. These little tasks can stop the growth of bacteria. It also stops the spread of listeria.

• Do use more than one cutting boards

A single cutting board should be restricted for fresh products and bread, while there should be another one used for raw meat and seafood like sashimi, tuna etc. Whether you bring wood or plastic, cutting boards should be changed more frequently than you’d think.

• Do change your sponges daily

Sponges are a well-known breeding place for microbes, which may cause difficulties for you when you use them to clean the countertops and shelves, spreading harmful bacteria all over the kitchen. Don’t accept this fact? If your sponge gets smelly, replace it. Even if you are habitually cleaning and disinfecting your sponge, you must throw it away after some time.

• Do clean the hob and oven

Keeping your stove and oven clean, including the range hood and stovepipe, is necessary to avoid fires and sudden accidents in the kitchen. When you leave the kitchen, make sure to check that the oven and other kitchen utensils are turned off.

• Do wear Aprons

Have you ever thought why aprons were designed? They are importantly used so that it could actually protect your clothes from getting destroyed by unwanted particles like red wine and chocolate. Try funny custom aprons as they can surely get everybody’s attention and bring some laugh.

• Do clean and decontaminate all surfaces

Make sure that all the countertops, chopping boards, kitchen appliances, all food contact regions and most importantly your hands must be disinfected and cleaned before and after you hold any food products.

• Do check temperatures

The best temperature for your refrigerator is approximately 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, and your freezer temperature should be set at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

• Do remember to wear shoes in the kitchen

Ever drop any sharp tool like a knife? Assume that directly bump into your foot. Ouch! It is suggested that wearing shoes while cooking can help prevent many accidents. Consider wearing shoes that completely wrap your feet (no sandals). They will also defend you against other kitchen accidents such as suddenly broken glass and hot water or oil splashes.

Dont’s

• Don’t place hot food items in the fridge

Your food prepared for the whole week. Before you put that extremely hot food in the fridge, stop right now! Go and let it cool first. Properly wash the sink in the kitchen and add plenty of cold water and ice. Then transfer the pot of food or little bowl in the ice water. Potholders are used to cover the hand while holding hot cooking utensils. You should try Funny pot holdersto add a little charm in your kitchen. Be watchful not to let water in the sink combine with food in the bowl.

• Don’t wash raw meat

A majority of people wrongly believe that cleaning raw meat before cooking will remove the microbes from it. But, do you know, that the microorganisms in raw chicken, beef or lamb can be spread on various surfaces, or it can cross-contaminate many other food items and tools. In reality, it just stimulates the development of bacteria on the walls of the kitchen, where they can develop and make you feel ill. Besides, some bacteria present in raw meats are so firmly linked, you can’t remove them by washing.

• Don’t put leftovers unwatched

You should never leave your cooking foods unattended, I repeat never – not even for a few minutes. Your lovely pets may want to get involved in everything or have some taste of your food if it is kept within approachable reach. If you are eating right now, make sure that the dishes are properly stored after you leave the table.

• Don’t place foods outside for too long

Keeping the food items outside for more than 2 hours makes it expire immediately even after it has been kept in the fridge.

• Don’t re-wash already washed greens

If you brought a salad in a bag or other pre-washed vegetables, don’t be troubled about washing it again. Calm down! You can just cook them just as it is. Actually, re-washing could do more damage than advantage because you are unintentionally introducing the green vegetables to microbes from your sink.

• Don’t overload your fridge or refrigerator

You should not overburden your refrigerator, there are probably many non-fridge foods that are ok even if you don’t put there. That are most likely a butter, capsicum, soy sauce, onions, melons, and pickles etc.

• Don’t check any food to just see if it’s expired

Food can make you unwell, even if it doesn’t seem to be spoiled or smelly. Yes, if your food is developing fungus, immediately discard it. Don’t ever try to taste the suspected food as microbes can cause food poisoning. You should waste suspected food.

• Don’t use a sponge to wipe up meat juices

You should prefer using a kitchen towel or sanitized wipes to wipe away juices or gravy of meat that leak inside your fridge or on the countertops. Discard those used kitchen towels or wipes as soon as possible. Never use a sponge to clean up meat juices, because the sponge could be the house for growth of the bacteria present around all over the kitchen.

• Don’t place your flour or nuts in the store for too long

Majority of people keep flour in their store for an indefinitely long period — even the flour past the due date. Remember, both flour and nuts can go mouldy or spoil if you keep them at optimum room temperature for a couple of weeks or months, therefore it’s better to store them in the freezer.

• Don’t forget to have a fire extinguisher in the kitchen

Many of you must make stupid blunders like forgetting to turn off a stove or oven or unknowingly placing a paper towel or napkin near an open flame that had drastic results. The only solution to avoid any severe incident is to be careful of the hazards and always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen.