Sponges and Cutting Boards: Notorious Repositories of Bacteria in the Kitchen

Among the different places and rooms in the house, the kitchen is probably that one area where bacteria grow vigorously. And of the many things found and used in the kitchen, two items notoriously stand out for their being repositories of bacteria: sponges and cutting boards. Many of the bacteria that harbor in cutting boards and sponges are those that are known to cause food-borne maladies.

Cutting boards and sponges used in washing dishes, pots, pans, and other kitchen utensils often contain two kinds of bacteria. Staphylococcus aureus (or golden staph), a bacterium which frequently dwells in a person's nose or on the skin, is known to cause minor skin disorders, such as boils, pimples, carbuncles, cellulitis, furuncles, and abscesses. In more serious cases, it can cause meningitis, pneumonia, septicemia, and toxic shock syndrome - diseases that are life-threatening. The other kind of bacterium that cutting boards and sponges in the kitchen usually contain is Salmonella, a motile enterobacterium that causes food poisoning, gastrointestinal inflammation, and typhoid fever.

Each year, millions of people get sick of the various diseases and disorders mentioned here because of those two bacteria found in sponges and cutting boards. To lessen the risks, there are some preventive steps that we can take. Sponges, for example, should be disinfected by soaking them in about one liter of water mixed with one teaspoon of any disinfectant, especially chlorine. Before using the sponges again, let them air-dry completely. There are antibacterial sponges sold in the market that are touted to be safer to use than the conventional or ordinary type of sponges. However, pertinent laboratory examinations done reveal that these antibacterial sponges are no better than the ordinary ones. We should, therefore, not have too much confidence on the safety of this type of sponges.

In wiping up raw juices from poultry, beef, fish, or shellfish, it is generally advised to use clean paper towels instead of sponges. The paper towels should be discarded properly after use. Also, try to minimize the use of sponges when washing dishes, pots, and pans. Whenever possible, wash these items in a dishwasher.

As for the cutting boards, it is highly recommended that you use one that's made of plastic instead of wood. This is because it is a lot easier to wash bacteria off plastic than wood. Besides this, bacteria can easily penetrate wood, lodge in it, become inert, and then reactive when dampened - this despite the fact that wood is known to have antimicrobial properties.

Since bacteria can contaminate cutting boards and spread from one food to another, it is suggested that you use a separate cutting board for each type of food. For example, use one cutting board for poultry, meats, and fish; for other foods, use another cutting board. Here's a typical unhealthy example which, obviously, you should avoid doing: A cutting board is used to cut raw poultry containing raw eggs; this same cutting board is then used to cut raw salad ingredients.

With the use of hot, soapy water, wash all cutting boards thoroughly between uses. Rinse them thoroughly, and then let them air-dry, or use clean paper towels to pat them dry. If your cutting boards are made of plastic or acrylic, you can wash them in the dishwasher. Ideally, you should sanitize your cutting boards by pouring forth on their surface about three cups of water mixed with one teaspoon of bleach; let them stand for several minutes, and then wash them thoroughly. This procedure should be done at least once in a week. Also note that deeply-scarred cutting boards should be discarded in favor of new ones. This is because bacteria can become imbedded in the deep grooves of old cutting boards and may befoul food later on. [Read the Original Article]