Careful Food Handling A Must

We've all been told about potato salad in the summertime. Don't leave it unrefrigerated for long, and throw it out if it is not cold anymore. Also responsible cooks and chefs will wash their hands before preparing food. What's more when we order at a Subway, we can feel secure that the person making our sandwich has on vinyl gloves so therefore our food is not contaminated.

Wrong. What we don't know is how the different food items were prepared. Did the food handler wash his or her hands before cutting up the vegetables and other items? Did he or she also handle other objects, thereby contaminating the food? Even if a person wears gloves to handle food, if he or she touches other objects those gloves are contaminated That also goes for cooking utensils while they are being used.

After handwashing, the best way to dry hands is with a sanitary towel. That means using a touchless towel dispenser. They can be wall-mounted or countertop types. Both are sensor-operated dispensers so that one gets a clean towel each time. This should be done before and after food handling.

For foods other than meats and chicken a soap and water cleanup is sufficient, otherwise a disinfectant spray or wipe should be used on all surfaces touched by chicken and other meats to prevent the spread of Salmonella and e.coli