Does heat kills bacteria?
If heat is used in preparation of food, then it kills or deactivate potentially harmful organisms including bacteria and viruses, this depends on temperature, cooking time and technique used. Please note that refrigeration and freezing do not kill bacteria but only slow their growth which can only get killed with proper heat while cooking.
Are cutting boards important to clean?
Cutting boards lay a potential foundation for breeding bacteria and can be quite hazardous unless safety precautions are followed. Plastic cutting boards as compared to wooden boards are less porous and have conventionally been assumed to be far less likely to harbor bacteria. But regardless of the quality of board, washing and sanitizing cutting boards is very important, especially after use with raw meat, poultry products, seafood or citrus fruits.
Hot soapy water wash and then rinse with an antibacterial cleaner is treated best for sanitizing the cutting board.
Follow the below mentioned points to maintain hygiene in your kitchen:
- Cleaning of food preparation areas and equipment
- Thorough cooking of meats
- Dish sanitizing by washing with soap and clean hot water
- Washing of hands before and after meal
- Not using the same utensil for preparing different foods
- Proper storage of food to prevent contamination by vermin (Air tight)
- Refrigeration of food
- Disposal of uneaten food
There are 4 factors causing the growth of bacteria in food items:
- Temperature
- Time
- Moisture
- Food itself
Bacteria multiply very fast and in ideal circumstances bacteria double the size of their cells and split to create more cells.
Destruction of such bacteria is possible only through heating between 100 degree to 140 degree Celsius. Spores under the bacteria still survive and can revive into mature bacteria under favorable conditions. Certain bacteria release toxins which can cause even death due to eating contaminated food. Therefore for a healthy living it is important that such chances of occurrence of bacteria should be avoided and one should consume fresh and nicely washed & cooked food only.
“Food Hygiene starts with Personal Hygiene”
Germs pass easily from hands when in contact with food, therefore it is of great importance that one must wash hands properly before cooking as well.
