The kitchen and the items in it are susceptible to contamination because it's where we process our food, including fresh meat and vegetable. A new study reveals the objects that are prone to cross-contamination and they likely don't cross your mind.
Cross-Contamination in The Kitchen
Researchers commissioned by the US Agriculture Department Food Safety and Inspection Service recruited 371 people for a study to examine how substances can contaminate the foods in the kitchen. The participants were not aware of the research and only thought that they were testing new recipes, The Telegraph reported.
Volunteers were asked to prepare turkey patties. They were not aware that their ground beef contained MS2, a harmless tracer bacteria. According to Donald Schaffner, the study's lead author and a professor in the department of food science at the Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences in New Jersey, it is quite common to not inform the participants that they are participating in this type of research because the information may have influenced their behavior.
He added that they wanted the participants to behave as they normally would in the kitchen. Scientists swabbed kitchen surfaces (from utensils to countertops) for traces of cross-contamination once the cooks had left their kitchens.
The researchers found microorganisms on the knife handle, cutting board, frying pan and electric handles, inner sink surface, dishcloth and sponge, faucet handle, soap dispenser, refrigerator handle, and trash can lid.
The findings were not surprising. And there was also some positive news - the positivity on the majority of the surfaces did not exceed 20%.
However, they also discovered an outlier - a cross-contamination hotspot that they never expected was spice jars.
Schaffner said 48% of the samples showed evidence of cross-contamination. They also had the highest concentrations of the marker microorganism.
Spice jars are not the only most contaminated surface in the kitchen, they are also the most highly contaminated items - more than the bin lid.
According to the study, consumers probably missed wiping down or decontaminating the spice jars after cooking thinking that they are not at high risk for contamination. The study noted how we spray and wipe chopping boards, knives and sinks, but not the spice rack.
Warning About Cross-Contamination In The Kitchen
According to Shaffner, if one handles a contaminated spice container and accidentally put one's finger in the mouth, it could result in the ingestion of pathogens and subsequent illness. However, it's hard to figure out how damaging or dangerous the health spice containers might be.
The microorganism that has been transferred to the spice jar will slowly die over time. However, some can still be detected for a couple of days or weeks.
Shaffner reminds the public that whenever you touch raw meat, you will likely have pathogens on your hands and anything you touch after touching the raw meat will be contaminated with those pathogens, including spice jars that you will likely use while preparing the meal. So, Shaffer suggests washing hands with soap and water all the time.
Food Safety also suggests storing the food properly in the refrigerator, separating areas for potentially hazardous foods, including high-risk foods like raw meat and seafood. You should also avoid using the same utensils for raw and cooked foods. And, consider all raw and potentially hazardous foods as contaminated.
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