Is your kitchen hygienic?

Recently, I read a report that analysed the hygiene standards of Singapore Kitchens. Here are some interesting insights:

Kitchen Sponges which are an everyday sight in our Singapore Kitchens are actually breeding grounds for germs and viruses!

The Finish/Bosch Kitchen Hygiene Study is the first of its kind to be conducted in Singapore, and results revealed that 88% of sponges tested were found to contain Salmonella and/ or E.coli (These are the common viruses found in food poisoning).

Yes! 88% of these sponges are actually a breeding ground for these viruses!

Some other key findings include:

• Only 20% of participants change their kitchen sponge regularly (every two weeks or less), and 60% only change their kitchen towel after using it for more than one month
• 72% of participants use the same kitchen sponge to wash their dishes, utensils and other surfaces such as the sinks, counter tops, cutting boards and stoves – all of which could result in cross-contamination, a common cause for foodborne illness.
• Nearly 1/3 of the dishes tested contained traces of Salmonella and/ or E.coli
• 20% of chopping boards had Salmonella and/ or E.coli
• None of the participants used hot water, which is necessary to kill bacteria, when washing their utensils or dishes.  Only a small percentage wash their kitchen sponges and kitchen towels using hot water.

Healthy families start in the kitchens, therefore to protect their families and minimize the risk of foodborne illnesses, Singaporeans are encouraged to:

Eliminate harmful germs with a Dishwasher – a dishwasher utilizes high water temperatures and water pressure, and coupled with the powerful chemicals of the dishwashing tablets, is proven by studies to remove up to 99.9% of bacteria and germs.

Moreover, it eliminates the need for dish sponges and kitchen towels, thus reducing the risk of cross-contamination.

Here are some other helpful tips to minimize risk:

• Wash ones hands frequently during the food preparation process.
• Sterilise their dish sponge and dry after every use.
• Change and sanitise their kitchen towels frequently, and use different kitchen towels for different purposes to reduce cross-contamination.
• Use different chopping boards for raw, cooked and ready-to-eat food.

The good news is that with my Bosch dishwasher, I effectively diminish the risk of Salmonella and/ or E.coli in my kitchen. With young children in the house, this is definitely a great piece of good news for us busy parents