protect your family from food poisoning



N

Ned Senft

Guest
PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FOOD POISONING

Headline news of Canada News Wire, December 17, 2003: Home is the source of half of infectious
intestinal illnesses, study shows. "The home is the source of about half of all intestinal illnesses
in Ontario, according to a study published in the International Journal of Food Protection. The
study, co-authored by Professor Marilyn Lee of Ryerson University and published in the June issue of
the Journal, looked at more than 44,000 reported cases of intestinal illness in Ontario between 1997
and 2001 and found that half had their origin in the home."

Which room in your home would you believe to be the most prone to disease causing bacteria? It is
not the bathroom as many would suspect but rather it is your kitchen which is a hot spot for
microbes. Your common household disinfectant has been found to be effective against bacteria that
cause food borne illnesses, and research has been proven that with regular use the incidence of food
borne illnesses declines greatly. Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona,
Tucson, and his colleagues conducted a study by sampling sites within 15 different homes. They found
the highest levels of contamination to be in areas that remain damp, such as kitchen sponges and
rags, kitchen sinks and the kitchen faucet handle. Kitchen counters, cutting boards and refrigerator
handles should also be disinfected regularly. They found that regular cleaning had little effect on
the bacteria but by regularly using disinfectants the bacteria level was reduced by 95%. They found
the main cause of disease causing bacteria in the kitchen to be raw meat.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN KEEPING A HEALTHY AND BACTERIA FREE KITCHEN

Replace kitchen sponges and rags often, at least once a week. Sponges can be disinfected by putting
them in the dishwasher. Wash dish rags in the washing machine then dry on high heat.

Cutting boards are breeding grounds for bacteria. Wash with regular dish detergent then sanitize
with a disinfectant. Keep two cutting boards, one for meat and one for fruits and vegetables. You
may also put your cutting board in the dishwasher for sanitizing purposes.

Kitchen counter tops should be disinfected regularly.

Disinfect refrigerator handles, sinks and drains and sink faucets regularly. PROPER HANDLING AND
PREPARATION OF FOOD

The improper handling and preparing of food is also a major cause of food borne illnesses in the
home. A very simple but often overlooked basic exercise in food safety is the thorough washing of
hands before handling food. This will greatly reduce the risk of food contamination. When washing
your hands, make sure to use a rubbing motion for 20 seconds because this rubbing does make a
difference in removing pathogens.

HELPFUL AND HEALTHY TIPS TO AVOID FOOD CONTAMINATION:

When grocery shopping, purchase your frozen and refrigerated items last and put them into the
refrigerator or freezer promptly.

Use different dishes for raw and cooked food.

Defrost food in the refrigerator or microwave, not on the counter.

Cook foods thoroughly and do not eat raw or partially cooked eggs.

Cool and promptly store leftovers by either putting in refrigerator or freezer. Remember bacteria
grow at room temperature.

Don't leave perishable foods out more than two hours.

LINKS TO RESEARCH SITES FOR FURTHER READING

http://www.healthmedialab.com/html/infectious/prevention.html

Category: Healthy Home - Kitchen - All Purpose Cleaner Written by Patty Avey - Chief Editor for
SmartLivingNews.com

This is a an example from my free ezine available at:

http://easyhomebiz.smartlivingnews.com
 
Ned Senft wrote:

[snip]
>
> LINKS TO RESEARCH SITES FOR FURTHER READING
>
> http://www.healthmedialab.com/html/infectious/prevention.html
>
> Category: Healthy Home - Kitchen - All Purpose Cleaner Written by Patty Avey - Chief Editor for
> SmartLivingNews.com
>
> This is a an example from my free ezine available at:
>
> http://easyhomebiz.smartlivingnews.com

Doncha think that trying to create a sterile enviroment might be counterproductive? If the immune
system is never challenged, it may get bored and go looking for something to do -- like attacking
your joints (arthritis) or launching a massive attack against some foreign protein it finds in your
food (like peanuts, shrimp, or cashews)

I prefer to keep things clean rather than disinfected, and keep my immune system healthy by eating a
variety of good foods, getting enough rest, and

Best regards, Bob