A topic that doesn’t get much play in here, but as I am cleaning up the kitchen after butchering a couple of chickens for the grill tonight, I figured I’d start this with the subject of surfactants and sanitizers.
Bleach in the kitchen. Do you use it? I have an 18"x24" poly cutting board I use exclusively for raw proteins. I use to put it in the sink and pour bleach directly onto it and then wash with soap and water. After inadvertently tye dying a couple of articles of clothing with the bleach, I now pour the bleach onto a soapy sponge and wash the board and rinse with hot water. I’ll use chlorine on poly and countertops but never on wood.
Are you adverse to using bleach in the kitchen? If so what do you use to sanitize surfaces?
I don’t disinfect boards like that. I know the theory, but I wash them thoroughly with hot water and soap and haven’t yet had a case of food illness. I do keep multiple boards around though and don’t butcher a chicken on one, wash it and then cut up raw veggies for a salad on it.
We keep a dilute solution of bleach, as recommended above, in a spray bottle. But our dishwasher has a sanitizing cycle so we normally put our cutting boards through the dishwasher.
We watched a Julia Child show (1960s or 1970s) recently where she was handling raw chickens and only wiping her hands with paper towels. She would then open the refrigerator, use the faucet, remove her glasses, etc. There was no warm, soapy water used. It’s amazing she made it to her nineties.
I use hot water and soap on wood cutting boards and avoid plastic/poly boards. I recall reading an article a while back that even after processing, wood boards maintained a certain level of anti-bacterial properties that were inherent within the very structure of the wood. So far, so good.
Perhaps, but I used to play in the dirt, ride my bike without a helmet and drink water from the garden hose and I’m here to tell about it. That’s not to say that sensible precautions aren’t necessary because they are ( being sure to wash your hands between handling raw poultry and preparing a salad for example), but sometimes I think we make too big a deal out of some of this stuff.
I know one person whose kids are ALWAYS sick and she’s also a germophobe, constantly disinfecting her kitchen counters (I don’t prepare food on mine) and always using the anti-bacterial wipes at the supermarket to disinfect her shopping cart. It’s my contention that her kids have never developed any antibodies.
Please Jebus, help me… I’m agreeing w/ Bob. I do think however, that niceties such as the wipes at supermarkets are a good thing. You don’t really need to be subjected to every nasty thing to develop a good immune system. A little bit of precaution is a good thing.
I agree with Mr Wood. Common sense in the kitchen. Never have used bleach. Never had an issue.
As to all the other germaphobe stuff no way in hell will I take any free sample of anything at a grocery store or eating any free food at a bar. Disgusting. I am pretty diligent about washing my hands when I an at an airport.
And the farmer’s markets can be gross, too. Even though tongs or toothpicks are often provided, there are plenty of people sticking their grimy mitts into the samples, putting the food directly into their mouths, then going back for more. I’ve mentioned this a few times to people, who usually give a blank stare, while the vendors are nodding my way as if to say “Thanks for pointing this out.”
Definitely and not just for poultry. Good and careful animal husbandry can produce some outstanding results. I was in Tuscany at a wine/food event back in 2004 and was treated to raw pork sausage that was so clean we were eating it uncooked.
That being said anything I get in a supermarket could have been subject to any number of failings in the cold/sanitary chain. When I cooked professionally we sanitized surfaces with chlorine or ammonia based surfactants. With raw meats at home, I still feel better using them and washing my hands a brasilian times.
Even something as bacteria inhospitable as a high acid solution of vinegar/water gets used in our house. Ironically, I don’t carry or even use gel hand sanitizer.
I’ve never understood the idea of eating raw meat. I’ve eaten all different kinds of meat raw, not all intentionally though, and never saw the attraction.
Well you certainly do not want to be cavalier about raw meat that has been industrially farmed, but there are things which cannot be guarded against. Look at some of the spinach/cilantro/other raw veggie contaminations. Many of those have been due to the bacteria actually being sucked up INTO the plant via contaminated water. No amount of washing can get rid of that.
I can’t help you. The 8 hour Food Safety Manager course I was required to attend in order to open a bottle of wine, never covered cleaning beyond washing hands and using a clean paper towel to dry them. I do know the temperature parameters for meat, veggie delivery and storage along with hot and cold “hold” temperatures.
Way off topic but… spent 4 days at “family camp” with a communal bathroom. It became rather apparent that one family (from GF down to 7 year old) NEVER washed their hands post bathroom use ( and I mean all uses!) On the last day, GF of said family exits a stall and proceeds to pat me on the back (as a way of saying goodbye, nice to meet you) with the hands that second ago had be involved with… well you know…
He would have been trying to shake my hand but I was busy WASHING mine! This guy was no slouch, he’s a fancy lawyer from Florida who has argued in front of the SCOTUS (& told a great R.B.G. story…)
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