10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our environment. Not all bacteria cause disease in humans (for example, some bacteria are used beneficially in making cheese and yogurt). However, the prime causes of food-borne illness include parasites, viruses, and bacteria such as:

1. E. coli O157:H7

2. Campylobacter jejuni

3. Salmonella

4. Staphylococcus aureus

5. Listeria monocytogenes

6. Clostridium perfringens

7. Vibrio parahaemolyticus

8. Vibrio vulnificus

9. Hepatitis A virus, and

10. Norwalk and Norwalk-like virus

Bacteria that cause disease are called pathogens. These organisms can become unwelcome guests at the dinner table. When certain pathogens enter the food supply, they can cause food-borne illness. They're in a wide range of foods, including meat, milk and other dairy products, spices, chocolate, seafood, and even water. Millions of cases of food-borne illness occur each year.

Most cases of food-borne illness can be prevented. Careless food handling sets the stage for the growth of disease- causing "bugs." For example, hot or cold foods left standing too long at room temperature provide an ideal climate for bacteria to grow. Proper cooking or processing of food destroys bacteria.

Fresh does not always mean safe. The organisms that cause food poisoning aren't the ones that cause spoilage. Wax often coats certain kinds of produce, such as apples and cucumbers, and may trap pesticides. To remove the wax, wash with very diluted dish detergent and a soft scrub brush, or peel (the best nutrients are often in the peel, however).

Foods may be cross contaminated when cutting boards and kitchen tools that have been used to prepare a contaminated food, such as raw chicken, aren't cleaned before being used for another food, such as vegetables.

How Bacteria Get In Food

Bacteria may be present on products when you buy them. Plastic-wrapped boneless chicken and ground meat, for example, were once part of live chicken or cattle. Raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs aren't sterile. Neither is fresh produce such as lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and melons. Foods, including safely cooked, ready-to-eat foods, can become cross contaminated with bacteria transferred from raw products, meat juices or other contaminated products, or from food handlers with poor personal hygiene.

Unpasteurized fruit and vegetable juices and ciders, foods made with raw or undercooked eggs, chicken, tuna, potato and macaroni salads, and cream-filled pastries harboring these pathogens have also been implicated in food-borne illnesses, as has fresh produce.

Poultry is the food most often contaminated with disease- causing organisms. It's been estimated that 60 percent or more of raw poultry sold at retail probably carries some disease-causing bacteria.

Bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Salmonella have been found in raw seafood. Oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and cockles may be contaminated with hepatitis A virus.

If you have a health problem, especially one that may have impaired your immune system, don't eat raw shellfish and use only pasteurized milk and cheese, and pasteurized or concentrated ciders and juices.

Keep It Clean

The cardinal rule of safe food preparation in the home is: Keep everything clean.

The cleanliness rule applies to the areas where food is prepared and, most importantly, to the cook. Wash hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds before starting to prepare a meal and after handling raw meat or poultry. Cover long hair with a net or scarf, and be sure that any open sores or cuts on the hands are completely covered. If the sore or cut is infected, stay out of the kitchen.

Keep your work area clean and uncluttered. Be sure to wash the countertops with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water or with a commercial kitchen-cleaning agent diluted according to product directions. They're the most effective at getting rid of bacteria.

Also, be sure to keep dishcloths and sponges clean because, when wet, these materials harbor bacteria and may promote their growth. Wash dishcloths and sponges weekly in the washing machine in hot water.

While you're at it, sanitize the kitchen sink drain periodically by pouring down the sink a solution of one teaspoon bleach to one quart of water or a commercial cleaning agent. Food particles get trapped in the drain and disposal and, along with moistness, create an ideal environment for bacterial growth.

Use smooth cutting boards made of hard maple or plastic and free of cracks and crevices. Avoid boards made of soft, porous materials. Wash cutting boards with hot water, soap, and a scrub brush. Then, sanitize them in an automatic dishwasher or by rinsing with a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to about 1 quart of water.

Always wash and sanitize cutting boards after using them for raw foods, such as seafood or chicken, and before using them for other foods. Consider using one cutting board only for foods that will be cooked, such as raw fish, and another only for ready-to-eat foods, such as bread, fresh fruit, and cooked fish. Visit The Cutting Board Factory for a great selection of food-safe cutting boards.

Always use clean utensils and wash them between cutting different foods.

Wash the lids of canned foods before opening to keep dirt from getting into the food. Also, clean the blade of the can opener after each use. Food processors and meat grinders should be taken apart and cleaned as soon as possible after they're used.

Don't put cooked meat on an unwashed plate or platter that has held raw meat.

Wash fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly, rinsing in warm water. Don't use soap or other detergents. If necessary (and appropriate) use a small scrub brush to remove surface dirt.

Keep your kitchen clean and bacteria-free. Clean kitchen surfaces with hot soapy water using antibacterial sponges and soaps.

The sponges themselves should be bacteria-free. Microwave them for about a minute to keep them clean and dry.

Keep benches, cutting boards, knives, pans or other utensils clean.

Terry Nicholls
My Home-Based Business Advisor
www.my-home-based-business-advisor.com

Copyright © by Terry Nicholls. All Rights Reserved.

About The Author

Terry Nicholls is the author of the eBook "Food Safety: Protecting Your Family From Food Poisoning". In addition, he writes from his own experiences in trying to start his own home-based business. To benefit from his success, visit My Home-Based Business Advisor - Helping YOUR Home Business Start and Succeed for free help for YOUR home business, including ideas, startup, and expansion advice.

---

Better Breakfasts Ideas

Nutritionists tell us that breakfast is the most important meal... Read More

Do you own an AGA or RAYBURN cooker ?

The Cooker-rail....This is a novel way of increasing the drying... Read More

10 Smart Shopping Tips To Protect Your Family From Getting Sick

Prevention of food poisoning starts with your trip to the... Read More

To Fry Or Not To Fry?

Here's a little known factoid - did you know that... Read More

Buying, Storing, and Preparing Apricots

When buying apricots, always look for those that are firm,... Read More

How to Peel Almost Anything

The great English cook Prue Leith once famously remarked "life's... Read More

How to Grill Most Any Vegetable You Can Think Of!

Grilling vegetables is easy. The fact that more people don't... Read More

Fine Tuning Bread Machine Mixes

Sometimes bread machines can be tricky. We were trying to... Read More

How to Bake: Muffins (with recipes)

Muffins are a mainstay around our house. They are as... Read More

Two for One Dinners: Beef

If you find leftovers boring, uninviting or downright "yuck," then... Read More

Pyrex Mixing Bowls ? A Kitchen Favorite

Pyrex mixing bowls typically come in sets of 3 with... Read More

Vegetarian Cooking - Three Basics

For any of the many reasons people choose to eat... Read More

Grill Your Corn for Maximum Flavor

There's two basic theories on grilling corn. Some people prefer... Read More

How To Eat Fresh Vegetables ? Ideas for Working More Veggies Into Your Diet

Fresh, uncooked veggies are so healthy and it's important to... Read More

How to Bake: How Long Should My Bread Rise?

It depends. The best way to tell if the dough... Read More

Preparing Lobster Tails

Lobster, once the food of poor farmers, is now considered... Read More

10 Deadly Bacteria That Can Get In Your Food (And How To Stop Them From Getting There)

Thousands of types of bacteria are naturally present in our... Read More

How to Choose the Right Smoke for the Right BBQ Dish

BBQ smoke is one of the easiest ways to add... Read More

The Almighty Beer-Can Chicken

A popular method of cooking chicken in recent years both... Read More

Chinese Cooking Technique: Deep Fry

There are usually 2 ways of deep frying in Chinese... Read More

Secret of Light and Fluffy Biscuits and Pancakes

Would you like to lose some weight -- in your... Read More

Eating Healthy with a Meat Grinder

While it may be surprising, owning your own meat grinder... Read More

Rice Cookers - Perfect Rice Every Time

Love fluffy cooked rice but dislike the preparation time and... Read More

Solving The 7 Most Common Whole Wheat Bread Baking Mistakes

Let's face it EVERY cook makes mistakes (yes, even us... Read More

What You Need in a Gourmet Kitchen

The best way to decide what you need in your... Read More

How to Bake: Bread on the Grill

One of the slickest tricks we know is baking bread... Read More

Cookware ? Whats In It?

Have you ever wanted to buy new cookware but didn't... Read More

Bread in the Woods

We really like fresh bread while we're camping. There is... Read More

Outdoor Chefs Choose Gas Grills

How many of you remember dad trying to get the... Read More

Low-Budget Meals In a Minute

Ever go home and look in the fridge only to... Read More

All About Baking: Quick Breads

The Versatile Quick BreadIt's no wonder quick breads are so... Read More

The Best-Kept Secrets of Beef Revealed! Get Ready to Become the Meat Expert in Your Family!

Do you helplessly stand at the meat counter looking from... Read More

Do a Dry Rub First

The debate on ribs has ended in my home. After... Read More