Introduction
Kitchen safety is critical for every household or organization that handles and prepares food. In the kitchen, most accidents happen due to careless and insufficient safety and hygiene measures. For this report, I spent some time in my kitchen observing and reviewing the process of handling food to assess the level of food safety and the potential corrections I could make to improve it.
Refrigeration
As pointed out by the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (2015), when it comes to the maintenance of food safety, a refrigerator is an essential piece of equipment whose primary function is to prevent the potentially dangerous bacteria from growing on the food. Most food products would be protected from getting spoiled at refrigeration temperatures below 40 F. In order to check this characteristic I placed my room thermometer into my fridge and found that the temperature it is set at is almost 43 F which is higher than the required minimum for the preservation of foods.
Moreover, perishable food products are to be put in the fridge right after being used. All of my family members seem to be well-aware of this rule, and that is why dairy products and meat products go in the fridge immediately after being brought from a store and never sit at the counter for a long time.
Hygiene
The FDA (2016) emphasized the importance of hygiene in the kitchen; in particular, this requirement concerns the appliances used, the kitchen surfaces, and the people who are involved in the preparation and handling of the food products. When it comes to the personal hygiene, the FDA (2016) points out that individuals working in the kitchen should wash their hands before and after touching food for as long as twenty seconds under hot water and using soap. I must admit that this rule is not always followed in my kitchen; at times, I forget to place a new bar of soap when the old one runs out and use dish soap for washing hands, and sometimes I use cold water for handwashing.
As for the kitchen surfaces, the FDA (2016) stressed that they need to be cleaned with soapy water after the preparation of each separate item of food. This requirement is rarely followed in my home; in the process of cooking, the counters are only wiped with a wet cloth after handling meat and fish products. The final cleaning and washing are done after the entire session of cooking. However, I sanitize my kitchen surfaces regularly using the specialized spray and paper towels.
When it comes to washing food products, in my kitchen, most fruits and vegetables are thoroughly washed. For instance, oranges and grapefruits whose skins are not eaten are washed every time; however, bananas are not. I also wash eggs before placing them on any surfaces in the kitchen and wash my hands after handling eggs. The cans of the canned goods are not always washed before opening.
Handling
Raw, unwashed foods and cooked foods should not be mixed; also, the latter should not be placed on the unwashed surfaces and dishes (Safety tips in the kitchen, n.d.). Separate carving boards should be used for the meat products. When handling leftovers, it is important to let the hot food chill to the room temperature before refrigerating them. When refrigerated, they should be placed in a clean container with lids or wrapped to avoid mix-up and cross-contamination (Food safety tips for leftovers, 2011). All of these rules are adhered to in my kitchen; however, there is one that is not always followed. The FDA (2016) emphasize that frozen food should never be defrosted under room temperature, and I tend to defrost chicken that way quite often.
Cooking
There is a very specific set of criteria as to the temperatures under which different products should be cooked; according to this framework, poultry should be cooked under temperatures higher than those used to cook beef and pork (Safe minimum cooking temperatures, 2016). I must admit that I do not always follow this advice and also sometimes cook chicken for a period that is not long enough.
Safety
Moreover, the rules of kitchen safety require cleaning the exhaust hood over the stove regularly and unplugging the electric countertop appliances when they are not in use (Kitchen safety tips, 2016). As for the dishes and utensils, it is advised that the handles of the pots and pans on the stove be turned inwards so that they cannot be pushed off by accident. I often forget to follow this recommendation and also, I usually leave the appliances such as a toaster and an electric kettle plugged in when not in use.
Corrections
According to the review, I need to make corrections in most aspects of kitchen safety. Namely, I need to adjust my fridge to maintain a lower temperature, start cleaning the counters after each food item is prepared, and use paper towels instead of cloth for that. I also need to remember to unplug my countertop appliances. Finally, I need to purchase a food thermometer and measure the temperatures at which I am cooking meats and poultry.
References
FDA. (2016). Safe food handling: What you need to know. Web.
Food Safety and Inspection Service. (2015). Refrigeration and food safety. Web.
Food safety tips for leftovers. (2011). Web.
Kitchen safety tips. (2016). Web.
Safe minimum cooking temperatures. (2016). Web.
Safety tips in the kitchen. (n.d.). Web.