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Food poisoning from unclean school kitchens (current event)

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Food poisoning from unclean school kitchens (current event)

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Anyone can get food poisoning from contaminated surfaces in the kitchen. Kitchen's need to be kept clean so the food can help you instead of hurt you.

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At least 905 children have called in sick to schools in a suspected case of mass food poisoning in Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture, forcing the local government to cancel classes at 15 elementary schools to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

The children from Hamamatsu, a coastal city about 125 miles southwest of Tokyo, suffered vomiting and diarrhea, officials said Thursday, while 41 teachers and staff showed the same symptoms.

Authorities suspect the outbreak was caused by norovirus, a common source of foodborne illness.

The highly contagious virus was "detected in about half of the stool samples taken from sick pupils," said Horihiro Ishizaka, a Hamamatsu city public relations official.

The city's hygiene office is testing school lunches eaten by the students to confirm the cause of the outbreak, Ishizuka said.

Local news reports said the schools used an ingredient from one shared supplier.

The city has closed most of the affected schools and canceled classes at others through Friday in wake of the incident, which comes less than a month after 1,400 people across Japan fell ill after eating frozen foods that may have been tainted with pesticides.

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japan: over 900 school children fall ill in suspected food poisoning - cnn.com

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Japan: Over 900 school children fall ill in suspected food poisoning - CNN.com

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At least 905 children have called in sick to schools in a suspected case of mass food poisoning in Japan's Shizuoka Prefecture, forcing the local government to cancel classes at 15 elementary schools to prevent the outbreak from spreading.

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The human body is home to some 1,000 species of bacteria. There are more germs on your body than people in the United States.
-This is why it is important to keep clean while cooking.

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Keeps our hair out of the food my dude!!

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Keeps our hair out of the food my dude!!

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Hair nets keep unwanted hair out of the food you are preparing.

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Certain chemicals and cleaning utensils are used for different applinces 

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Certain chemicals and cleaning utensils are used for different applinces 

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Stove tops need to be kept clean so the food and grease on the stove dosen't build up and possibly cause a fire!

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In order to make healthy food, you need to have a clean kitchen so the food stays clean and dosen't get contaminated and hurt someone.

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Use one teaspoon of household bleach, such as Clorox, in one quart of water to sanitize counter tops and sinks. Mix a fresh mixture daily.

Clean up as you cook so you have less of a mess to clean up when your are done cooking

Keeps things neat in the kitchen to reduce the chance of something spilling or making a mess.

Use baking soda to clean floor and backsplash tiles.

Drain the sink and rinse it with hot, soapy water to get rid of germs.

Scrub the countertops with a small circular motions and use a cleaner that is made for your specific counter top.

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This article talks all about how to keep everything in your kitchen clean! It explains how to keep accessories in your kitchen clean as well as the person cooking!

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Tie back hair or wear chef’s hat or hair net to keep hair from falling into food

Wear a clean apron to avoid transferring bacteria from your clothes to the food. Use clean equipment

Do not use a hand towel to dry dishes.

Do not touch food with your hands if you could use tongs, a fork, or a knife.Rewash hands after handling raw meats, poultry, fish, or eggs.

Wear plastic gloves when working with food if you have an open sore on your hand.

Do not lick your fingers or cooking utensils. Use one spoon for stirring and another for spoon tasting.

Cover coughs sneezes with a tissue and wash your hands after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or playing with pets.

Replace cutting boards when become worn and hard to clean.

Wash dishes thoroughly with hot soapy water and sanitize eating utensils with scalding water or sanitizer.

Keep kitchen counters clean

Wash tops of cans before opening them to keep dust and bacteria out of food.

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables under running water to flush away dirt and pesticides before preparation.

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Notice how everything in this kitchen is in it's place and not laying everywhere? This is how your kitchen should look. Keep your kitchen organized and keep everything in place.

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Helps you keep your kitchen clean in 10 easy steps. Less of a mess at the end of the day. If you clean as you go its less of a hastle, and your kitchen will look like you live in a castle.

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Once or twice a year it's a good and necessary thing to dig deep and really cure your kitchen. But what about daily maintenance? The stuff you can do the rest of the year to keep your kitchen clean and enjoyable? That's what we're talking about today. Here are 10 tips that will help you keep your kitchen cleaner on a daily basis with less work, and probably make you a little happier in the process!

1. Start with an empty dishwasher and an empty sink. This is such a simple, but smart suggestion. Make sure your dishwasher and your sink are empty before you start cooking; that way, you can rinse and load messy tools and dishes right away instead of leaving them to sit out for a few hours (or overnight, or days!).

2. Clean as you go. With an empty dishwasher and sink at the start of your meal prep, cleaning as you go suddenly gets a lot easier!

3. Clean your sink after washing the dishes. Faith washes her kitchen sink with Mrs. Meyer's basil soap and warm water after every dishwashing session. As she says, "It's a rather soothing, satisfying little ritual, and it keeps the sink clean and smelling good. It's a cleaning habit that's good for the kitchen, and it makes me feel good too." Plus, dishes don't get extra-greasy or gunky as they sit in the sink, saving you time when you catch up on the washing-up. Win-win!

4. Do some maintenance work once a month on your cookware and knives. Need to clean burnt-on stains and remove rust spots from your stainless steel pots and pans? Or just remove stains and polish? Maybe your knives have gotten a little rusty or spotty, and you want to get them shiny and new again, or they need to be honed. Once a month it's a good idea to take stock of these items and address any issues before they get out of control and take a whole afternoon to address.

5. Oil your cutting boards once a month. On the same note, all it takes is 5 minutes a month to maintain your wooden cutting boards. You can also do this for your wooden spoons! This saves time and money; you'll replace these items much less often if they are cared for.

6. Get the right cleaning tools, and keep them close by. There's nothing more frustrating than getting ready to do a little cleaning or maintenance work only to be thwarted because you either a) you don't have the right tool or, b) you have to run around your house finding it. On the other hand, you probably don't need 10 different kitchen cleaners clogging up your under-sink space. Pare down to the essentials and then store them neatly under the sink, either in a pull-out drawer, some some baskets and buckets, or in an over-the-cabinet door rack.

7. Keep your countertops clear, and then clean them properly. Messy countertops - heck, even countertops that have pretty things, but just too many of them! - can make a kitchen feel untidy and claustrophobic, whereas mostly clear countertops are invigorating and inspiring. They also invite you to cook, instead of feeling like your kitchen is unready for you. Try clearing a few things off your countertop, and you'll see what I mean!

8. Make sure your trash and recycling containers are big enough. Do you have an overflow area for your recycling? My current trash can is one of those trash-and-recycling duos, but the recycling part is way too small, and I frequently find myself putting a paper bag (or two) next to my trash can for all my recyclables. This is not an ideal solution, since it makes the kitchen look cluttered and I constantly have to maneuver my way around the bags!

9. Develop good cooking habits, especially these 8 things. With all cooking there comes cleaning, but how much and for how long you clean depends on your cooking habits. These 8 tips have the power to transform your cooking (and thus, cleaning!) life.

10. Love what you love. This is really less a cleaning tip than an overall life-in-the-kitchen tip. Enjoying your kitchen means really paying attention to the things that make you happy, and the things that frustrate you so you can fix them. It means really taking care of that stock pot even if it only cost you $10. It means hanging that painting you found at a thrift store right over your stove even if your friends think it looks wonky. It means not feeling bad if you decide to splurge on a really nice piece of equipment or some really expensive ingredients. It means being open to new ideas, tips, and techniques, but it also means not apologizing for the way you cook, clean, shop, and feed yourself or your family, if it works for you.

We're all different, we can all learn from each other, and in the process have a better, cleaner, happier kitchen and cooking life all-year round.

What are your tips for keeping your kitchen clean every day, and enjoying it?

It's Reader Request Week at The Kitchn!
This post was requested by jlksince1986.

Originally published 10.9.2013.

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10 Ways to Clean Your Kitchen Less Often, and Enjoy It Way More

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Once or twice a year it's a good and necessary thing to dig deep and really cure your kitchen. But what about daily maintenance? The stuff you can do the rest of the year to keep your kitchen clean and enjoyable? That's what we're talking about today.

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If your kitchen is not clean, you could end up with harmful bacteria in your food. People could become very, very sick.  This article describes the consequences of having a dirty kitchen.

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Bacteria can spread anywhere in the kitchen. So, it's important to wash your hands and kitchen surfaces before and after preparing food. Bacteria can spread from one surface to another without you knowing it. If the bacteria get into food, they can cause foodborne illnesses.

Sources of contamination

Most viruses and bacteria that cause colds, flu, and foodborne illnesses are spread by hand-to-hand or hand-to-food contact. People with hepatitis A, Norwalk-like viruses (noroviruses), or the bacteria staphylococcus and streptococcus can pass these illnesses on to others by handling food. Also, a person who is ill from a foodborne illness, like hepatitis A, can pass that illness on to others by handling food.

Raw meats, poultry, and fish carry a large variety of harmful bacteria. One of the most serious is Escherichia coli 0157:H7. This is the organism found mostly in undercooked hamburger. It is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness, according to the CDC. This bacterium causes hemolytic uremic syndrome, an often-deadly disease that strikes mostly children. Older adults are also at high risk.

Chicken, turkey, and fowl are associated with shigella, salmonella, and campylobacter. These are bacteria that cause diarrhea, cramping, and fever. Most meat can be contaminated with toxoplasmosis. This is a parasitic disease dangerous to both pregnant women and fetuses.

Seafood, particularly oysters, clams, and other shellfish, can be contaminated with the vibrio species of bacteria that causes diarrhea, or with hepatitis A virus.

Unpasteurized cheese and some meat can be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a strain of bacteria that can cause disease in people and miscarriage or damage to the fetus in pregnant women. Listeria is often found in soft cheeses, such as brie, and more often in imported cheeses than in domestic cheeses. Listeria is one of the few bacteria that grow well in the 40°F (4°C) temperature of the refrigerator.

Contaminated vegetables and fruits can carry a variety of organisms and parasites, depending on where they were grown and how they were processed, the CDC says.

Contaminated kitchen gadgets

Items in the kitchen become contaminated by contact with contaminated people, foods, pets, or other environmental sources.

The first and foremost suspect "gadget" in the kitchen is the human hand. Too often, people don't wash their hands before preparing food. More often, people don't wash their hands between handling possibly contaminated foods like meat and other foods that are less likely to be contaminated like vegetables. This "cross-contamination" is a leading cause of foodborne disease, the CDC says.

Kitchen items that often become contaminated include:

Can openers

Cutting boards

Countertops. Most people use their countertops not only for food preparation, but also for possibly contaminated items like grocery bags, mail, or household objects

Dishrags, towels, sponges, and scrubbers

Garbage disposals

Sink drains and P-trap. This is the J-shaped pipe under the sink that retains a quantity of water to block sewer gas from seeping back up through the sink

Refrigerators

Complex appliances like food processors, blenders, and eggbeaters

Cleaning vs. disinfecting

Many people believe that if it appears clean, it's safe. A kitchen can look perfectly clean, yet be contaminated with a lot of organisms that cause diseases. Cleaning and disinfecting are 2 different processes. Cleaning removes grease, food residues, and dirt, as well as a large number of bacteria. But cleaning may also spread other bacteria around. Disinfecting kills organisms (bacteria, virus, and parasites).

Disinfectants and sanitizers are widely available as liquids, sprays, or wipes. Any of these works well, killing almost all the bacteria and viruses. You can also make your own inexpensive disinfectant by adding 1tablespoon liquid chlorine bleach to 1 gallon of water. Store the solution in a spray bottle and make a new solution every 2 to 3 days.

You should clean thoroughly before you disinfect. Buildup of food or grease will not allow the disinfectant to penetrate.

How you dry your dishes and utensils also plays an important role in kitchen sanitation. From least effective to most effective, drying processes can be ranked:

Drying with a dishtowel (least effective)

Drying with a paper towel

Drying in the dishwasher

Sterilizing cycle in dishwasher (if so equipped)

Cleaning hands and disinfecting the gadgets

You should wash your hands before eating, before preparing food, and after cleaning up the food preparation area, the CDC says. Outside the kitchen, you should wash your hands after using the bathroom, after handling pets or cleaning up after them, after caring for another sick person, or any time that you think your hands might be contaminated. Use soap and water, making sure to clean the palms, the top surfaces, between the fingers, and up the wrists. Short fingernails help maintain cleanliness.

According to the CDC, plain soap works the best. Even though studies have shown that antibacterial soaps and cleaners have not been definitively linked to antibiotic-resistant infections, they do not kill germs remarkably better than regular soap. However, antibacterial hand sanitizers can come in handy when there is no water for washing. The CDC makes the following suggestions for good hand washing technique:

Use soap and warm running water.

Lather your hands well.

Wash all surfaces, including between your fingers, the backs of your hands, wrists, and under your fingernails.

Wash thoroughly for 20 seconds. (Ask your children to say their ABCs while they wash-that way they'll spend enough time washing.)

Make this a habit, especially before meals and after using the bathroom, whether you're sick or not.

If soap and water are not available, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol can be used to clean your hands. When using these products:

The following are ways to prevent infections from kitchen gadgets:

Can openers. Whether hand-held or electric, clean after each use. After cleaning, wipe with your bleach solution (or commercial disinfectant) and allow to air dry.

Cutting boards. If practical, keep 2 cutting boards, 1 for meat and 1 for fruits and vegetables. Clean after each use. The meat cutting board should be sprayed or wiped with your bleach solution and allowed to air dry. Rinse the board in clear water before the next use to help remove residual bleach taste from the board.

Countertops. Clean them thoroughly, then spray or wipe with bleach solution. Allow to air dry. If there is a residual "frost" from the bleach, it may be wiped off with a clean cloth.

Dishrags, towels, sponges, and scrubbers. These tend to be highly contaminated. You shouldn't use a sponge in the kitchen. Use a clean dishcloth daily. After use, rinse thoroughly and air dry. If you use the dishcloth for wiping the floor or wiping up after pets or any general cleaning, send it to the laundry and get a clean one. Scrubbers (metal or plastic) should be washed in the dishwasher each time you run it. If you do not have a dishwasher, rinse them thoroughly to remove any visible food residue and soak them in your bleach solution for 10 minutes.

Garbage disposals. The film that builds up on the inside of the disposal is teeming with bacteria. Use a long-handled angled brush and a chlorinated cleansing powder to scrub the inside walls of the disposal and the underside of the rubber splash guard. Allow the cleanser to remain in place (don't rinse) until the next time the disposal is used. This gives the chlorinated disinfectant time to kill the bacteria. This should be done at least once a month. CAUTION: Make sure the disposal is off and cannot be turned on during this procedure.

Sink drains and P-trap. Before going to bed, pour 1 cup of hot water into the drain. Wait a minute for the drain to soak up heat from the water then pour in 1 cup of chlorine bleach (undiluted). Allow to stand overnight. This should be done every 1 week to 2 weeks. Not only will this help sanitize the drain and keep odor down, but it will also help keep the drain running freely.

Refrigerators. The fridge should be periodically cleaned thoroughly. After cleaning, it should be wiped with your bleach solution and the food replaced. Spills should be cleaned up immediately. Food should not be allowed to mold or decay in the refrigerator.

Complex appliances, such as food processors, blenders, and eggbeaters. The dishwasher remains the best method for cleaning these items. Visible food materials should be removed from crevices, recesses, or tight areas and the washable parts of the appliances placed in the dishwasher.

Medical Reviewers:

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In the Kitchen: Prevent the Spread of Infection

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Bacteria can spread anywhere in the kitchen. So, it's important to wash your hands and kitchen surfaces before and after preparing food. Bacteria can spread from one surface to another without you knowing it. If the bacteria get into food, they can cause foodborne illnesses.

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When preparing food in the kitchen, you need to wash your hands and kitchen untensils so you can prepare safe food in a germ free enviroment.

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Extension > Food > Food Safety > Sanitation and Illness > Washing your hands and personal cleanliness

Donna McDuffee

When preparing or serving food, you have a very important job in providing safe food for family and friends.

Wash your hands adequately with warm water and soap. Wet your hands, soap them, then, rub your palms and the back of your hands for at least twenty seconds.

Do not forget your nails and the areas between your fingers. If you use hands to mix food, first wash them with a brush and get under your fingernails.

Rinse under running water from your wrist to the tip of your fingers.

Dry your hands with paper towels and use a towel to turn the faucet off, because sometimes dirty hands open the faucet.

Food can be good to the point of licking your fingers, but licking your fingers is not good for food. Do not sample your food with a spoon unless it is clean and used only once.

Do not wear rings or other jewelry when preparing food. Dirt sticks to cracks and corners. If you have scabs, cuts or burned hands, use disposable plastic gloves to prevent germ spread.

Keep clean hands out of your mouth, nose and hair. Cover sneezes and coughs with a clean tissue and wash your hands again.

After using the bathroom, always wash your hands before returning to the food.

When you have a cold or flu stay away from the kitchen if you can. If you must handle food be very careful about washing your hands. Use utensils instead of your hands when working with food.

Always wash your hands after touching garbage, poison, cleaning supplies, or anything that gets your hands dirty. This rule also applies to contact with animals or pets, their dishes or bedding.

Even if your kitchen is so clean that someone can "eat off of the floor," do not pick food up to eat. Do not mix it with non-contaminated food.

Use one teaspoon of household bleach, such as Clorox, in one quart of water to sanitize counter tops and sinks. Mix a fresh mixture daily.

In summary, use correct kitchen habits and learn to practice good personal hygiene. Dirty kitchens, bad personal hygiene or careless food handling, can carry bacteria that infect food and cause foodborne illnesses.

Related resources

The information given in this publication is for educational purposes only. Reference to commercial products or trade names is made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Minnesota Extension is implied.

Reviewed by Suzanne Driessen 2016

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Washing your hands and personal cleanliness

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Extension > Food > Food Safety > Sanitation and Illness > Washing your hands and personal cleanliness Donna McDuffee When preparing or serving food, you have a very important job in providing safe food for family and friends. Wash your hands adequately with warm water and soap.