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The Food Safety and Home Kitchen Hygiene/Sanitation Topic

fresco

By fresco
in Kitchen Consumer

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dcarch

dcarch

Posted
Posted
On 11/8/2016 at 8:00 PM, chefmd said:

I am afraid to ask how everyone keeps their knives clean :wacko:

Especially those who use wooden knife blocks.

Years of crap inside those slots. Bugs can also get in an die inside.

 

dcarch

paulraphael

paulraphael

Posted
Posted

I just keep a spray bottle of restaurant sanitizer by the sink. Quaternary ammonium. Odorless, tasteless, harmless to people (when diluted), and doesn't attack fabrics or wood or metal. It's more effective than bleach at some things, less effective at others, but has few of bleach's problems. Spray on and let it air dry.

 

Are Thermapens water resistant? I have a Taylor thermometer in the same form factor that can be held under a sink and soaped up and rinsed off. It's nice to not have to be precious about washing it before sanitizing. 

 

Re: sponges ... these are the biggest failing in my kitchen sanitation. I like using them, but know there's no sanitary way to do so. Maybe if you kept them soaking in sanitizer, and nuked them every night and changed the sanitizer every day. But the time I tried that I didn't stick to the program. And I could never get my g.f. to stick to it. So basically, I use filthy sponges like most people do. And when I'm cooking a big dinner for other people I switch to my big stack of side towels, use them, and throw them in a pile to be washed.

 

Re: peroxide ...  I'm interested. I've seen a lot of literature on its use as a hospital and brewery disinfectant, but surprisingly little on food service use.

Notes from the underbelly

Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

@paulraphael I use sponges for my pre-washing of things going into the dishwasher but not for surfaces I clean. They get clean cloths of paper towels.

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

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  • 3 weeks later...
Susie Q

Susie Q

Posted
Posted

I use microfiber towels in the kitchen. I get them in bulk at Costco in the auto product area. 25 to a package.

They can soak up water like a sponge, scrub, you can wipe a counter without water beading being left. If it gets too dirty I grab a new one.

 

A new one gets put out every morning and at night it goes to the laundry room to dry if needed to avoid mildew. I then put into the next utility/cleaning wash load (no softener) and let them air dry.

 

They are also great for glass, no streaking.

 

I've always hated sponges especially that unexpected mildew smell left on your hands if you've handled a "looks clean but isn't" sponge.  

  • Like 1
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

The microfiber I have says don't use water.

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Susie Q

Susie Q

Posted
Posted (edited)

That may be. But in the kitchen I'm not using them to dry, I'm using them as dishrags and counter wipes. When rung out well the damp microfiber sucks up water and spills and doesn't leave water drops and spots. It cleans off dishes well when hand washing. It makes for a great kitchen cleaning cloth, better than paper, cotton or a sponge.  I've used it with a mild bleach solution to sanitize. Still works great for me.

 

I use flour sack towels and side towels for other dry work.

 

I do keep the house cleaning microfiber towels separate from the kitchen ones. Yellow are for the kitchen and washed with other towels and air dried, blue and white are for house cleaning and are laundered separately to avoid lint .

 

I'll also throw this in as a tip. To get heavy soapscum off of fiberglass bath tubs and showers use Easy Off oven cleaner in the blue can. BLUE CAN ONLY!  Spray on a dry rub let sit for an hour while you do your other work then wipe with a soft nylon scrubber and rinse clean. 

 

 

 

Edited by Susie Q
Added something. (log)
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  • 1 year later...
Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted

This post and reposnse to it have been moved here from "Dinner 2018 (Part 1)."

 

On 8/19/2018 at 11:59 PM, mgaretz said:

Tri-tip, cooked SV at 121F for 8 hours then seared, served with baked sweet potato (really a garnet yam) and salad.  Accompanied by a glass of Lodi Petite Sirah.

 

tt-spot.jpg.5d7f664d37798f5dfc567eb98458d40b.jpg

 

 

Just curious and please take this the right way:  8 hours at 121F seems a little on the edge of safety.  Douglas Baldwin recommends that the centre of the food should reach 130F within 6 hours to prevent the toxin producing pathogen C. perfringens from multiplying to dangerous levels.  I know you don't want your steak at 130F.  Others here have done tri tip at 125F for two hours and been happy with it.  cheers

  • Like 1
mgaretz

mgaretz

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

Just curious and please take this the right way:  8 hours at 121F seems a little on the edge of safety.  Douglas Baldwin recommends that the centre of the food should reach 130F within 6 hours to prevent the toxin producing pathogen C. perfringens from multiplying to dangerous levels.  I know you don't want your steak at 130F.  Others here have done tri tip at 125F for two hours and been happy with it.  cheers

 

I know, but I’m not really worried about the pathogens in the center of a solid piece of meat.  Hamburger etc. , yes.  I have done it from 121 to 131 and some of those “others here” would be me.

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Mark

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Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted (edited)
6 hours ago, mgaretz said:

 

I know, but I’m not really worried about the pathogens in the center of a solid piece of meat.  Hamburger etc. , yes.  I have done it from 121 to 131 and some of those “others here” would be me.

It's toxins produced by C. perfringens that are dangerous and the bacteria don't have to get to the centre of the meat to do this.  The reference to the temperature of the centre of the meat is just a means of demonstrating when it's safe.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1878450X11000035#s0100

Edited by Okanagancook (log)
Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted

This post and reposnse to it have been moved here from "Dinner 2018 (Part 1)."

 

11 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I made an error somewhile back when I ordered a large Zojirushi.  I had not realized that the minimum quantity was one go (about 7/8 US cup).  While I can sometimes eat a go of rice I would have been much better served by the smaller model NP-NVC10 that has a minimum quantity of 1/2 go.

 

Usually when I make rice for dinner I leave the leftovers in the Zojirushi till the next night.

 

Safety Police here again!😇

i was brought up to speed about how cooked rice is not as benign as one thinks by the good folks here on Egullet.....y

Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. The spores can survive when rice is cooked. If rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea.

  • Like 3
KennethT

KennethT

Posted
Posted

I have even heard that B. Cereus can reproduce and produce toxins at refrigerator temps - but I'm not 100% on that.

  • Thanks 1
JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

Safety Police here again!😇

i was brought up to speed about how rice cooked rice is not as benign as one thinks by the good folks here on Egullet.....

Uncooked rice can contain spores of Bacillus cereus, a bacterium that can cause food poisoning. The spores can survive when rice is cooked. If rice is left standing at room temperature, the spores can grow into bacteria. These bacteria will multiply and may produce toxins (poisons) that cause vomiting or diarrhoea.

 

Let's not be serious!  I don't leave cooked rice standing at room temperature.  Nor in the refrigerator.  I leave leftover rice in the Zojirushi on the extended keep warm setting:

 

https://platinumricecooker.com/index_page.php?lang=ENGLISH

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Let's not be serious!  I don't leave cooked rice standing at room temperature.  Nor in the refrigerator.  I leave leftover rice in the Zojirushi on the extended keep warm setting:

 

https://platinumricecooker.com/index_page.php?lang=ENGLISH

 

Well Jo I would want to know what temperature my rice is held at.  I do not know what that temp needs to be.  And yes I am serious in a helping kinda way. Cheers.

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Okanagancook said:

Well Jo I would want to know what temperature my rice is held at.  I do not know what that temp needs to be.  And yes I am serious in a helping kinda way. Cheers.

 

Went through to the keeper, as @sartoric might say.  I tried.

 

Above 63C is what I saw in the abstract of one paper.  I assume the Japanese have figured out what temperature to hold rice to prevent growth of B. cereus or they wouldn't have such a problem with excess old people.

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

Okanagancook

Okanagancook

Posted
Posted

As long as you are comfortable with what you are doing.

 

Just raising the issue for general food safety discussion as with my question up thread regarding sous vide safety.

  • Like 1
chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted
9 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Went through to the keeper, as @sartoric might say.  I tried.

 

Above 63C is what I saw in the abstract of one paper.  I assume the Japanese have figured out what temperature to hold rice to prevent growth of B. cereus or they wouldn't have such a problem with excess old people.

 

According to the FDA's Bad Bug Book 48C (131F) is the maximum growth temperature for B. cereus, though one 1983 paper reported growth at 55C (a result that's never been successfully duplicated). It's not quite that straightforward, because this particular pathogen produces a heat-stable toxin, but in a scenario where the Zo is holding the rice at a higher temperature until service there's no opportunity for the bacillus to get a toehold.

 

For those of you who don't have it/didn't know, the Bad Bug Book is a free download in PDF form and well worth having on your computer, phone or Kindle for quick reference.

  • Like 3

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

I still think B. cereus sounds more than a bit like be serious.

 

Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted

Yup, I snicker over that every single time. :P

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

Porthos

Porthos

Posted
Posted

A friend who went to culinary school taught my DW and me about the perils of not properly transporting rice dishes. Rice - who would have guessed?

  • Like 3

Porthos Potwatcher
The Once and Future Cook

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  • 8 months later...
kayb

kayb

Posted
Posted

OK. Got a question. I took a package of chicken breasts out of the freezer and put them in the fridge to thaw about 10 days ago, and forgot them. They're in a vacuum sealed package. Safe or not safe?

 

Don't ask. Eat it.

www.kayatthekeyboard.wordpress.com

btbyrd

btbyrd

Posted
Posted

My immune system is a beast, so I usually just use the "sniff test." I'm very sensitive to off-flavors in poultry, so microbial safety is usually less of a practical issue for me than palatability. So if you're feeling frisky, I'd say give it a sniff and roll with it. But caveat eater. I probably wouldn't serve it to my grandmother or kid sister.

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gfweb

gfweb

Posted
Posted

lol

Sniffing doesn't detect everything and the strongest immune system on earth won't stop a toxin that has built up in the food.

But its a good start.

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