During the cooking process, there are actually many health hazards that we tend to overlook. Have you ever made these mistakes?
Mistake One: Washing your hands before you start cooking is enough to maintain hygiene
Washing your hands before starting to cook is indeed a good habit, but doing it just once is far from enough. Experts remind us that every time you switch from one task to another, you must remember to wash your hands, otherwise you might spread bacteria. For example, after cutting meat and before washing vegetables; or after washing vegetables and before peeling onions and garlic, you must not forget to wash your hands.Mistake Two: Washing vegetables as soon as you get them home
Keeping vegetables fresh and clean is a good thing, but researchers have found that if you wash them before putting them in the refrigerator, the residual water can breed bacteria. Therefore, the best approach is to wash them only when you are ready to cook them. Additionally, for vegetables like lettuce and cabbage, you can simply remove the outermost leaves and then rinse them clean with water.Mistake Three: Only washing fruits that can be eaten with the skin on
Fruits that cannot be eaten with the skin on, such as watermelon and oranges, are not necessarily as hygienic as we might think. When you cut a watermelon, bacteria from the rind may have been transferred to the flesh by the knife. So, is it enough to just rinse it with water before cutting? Of course not. To clean such fruits, you need to use a brush to scrub off the dirt and bacteria on the surface, and then thoroughly clean the brush itself.Mistake Four: Cleaning the kitchen while you cook
Many people believe that wiping down the kitchen counter while cooking is both hygienic and time-saving. However, they often use the same dishcloth to wipe everything, which leads to cross-contamination of bacteria. In reality, this is unnecessary. If you want to clean the counter, you can simply use a cloth to dry your hands first, and then use special kitchen degreasing paper towels and antibacterial disinfectants to clean the cutting board and kitchen countertops. However, while cooking, never place unwashed ingredients directly on the counter, especially raw meat. You can place them on plates, which is more hygienic and makes subsequent cleaning easier.Mistake Five: Leaving cooked food in the oven or on the stove
Studies have shown that food is most prone to bacterial growth between 5°C and 57°C. Therefore, leaving cooked food on an oven or stove that has just been used is very dangerous. Even staples like rice or pasta should not be placed on a still-warm oven. Furthermore, some people believe that reheating leftovers ensures they are safe to eat. This is not the case. The longer food is left out, the more easily bacteria can grow, and some bacteria can survive even after reheating. Therefore, it is best to store leftovers in the refrigerator and heat them up when you are ready to eat them. Placing leftovers in smaller, shallower plates will help them cool down more quickly.Mistake Six: The lower the refrigerator temperature, the better
To ensure that food is stored at the optimal temperature of 4°C, the best thing to do is to buy a thermometer, place it inside the refrigerator, and check it once a month. It is also a good idea to place a thermometer in the freezer to ensure the temperature is below -18°C.