Wednesday March 21, 2001

Kitchen Dangers

Whether it's upscale restaurants, fast food served on food trays, or even self-serve cuisine, "Extra" has uncovered some dirty situations time after time in our exclusive undercover investigations. Careless food handling in public places can be dangerous to your health. According to our report, nearly 76-million Americans get sick from food poisoning every year and 5,000 people die from it.

Before you head for the safety of your own kitchen, you should be warned that it just might be as filthy as a restaurant … or even worse.

Health and nutrition expert Amy Hendel says the germs in your sink and faucet can be even more deadly than ones in the toilets can and bathroom. "If it's a serious germ if can ultimately kill you if it's not treated."

The most common culprit that she sited in the report: slimy sinks, scuzzy sponges and cruddy countertops. So how do you stay safe at home? "Extra's" kitchen quiz may help educate you on the cleanliness of your kitchen.

The following are a few sample questions featured in the report:

1. Should you thaw meat in the refrigerator, in the sink or on the countertop? According to Hendel, the fridge is your best bet because meat tends to grow germs in warmer temperatures.

2. Should you wash the rinds of fruits like lemons and melons? "Absolutely," Hendel says, "That knife carries the germs from the outside right into that cantaloupe."

3. Which is better, an old fashioned wood cutting board or a trendy plastic ones? "A plastic cutting board can usually take a lot of wear and not become porous," Hendel says.

4. Which eliminates the most germs? A dish towel, a paper towel or a sponge? Paper towels just throw the germs away immediately. However, most people do use sponges, so be sure to buy the new treated germ fighting ones or zap your old ones in the microwave for 30 seconds to kill the bacteria.

5. Which is safer? Pasteurized fruit juices or freshly squeezed fruit? Pasteurized. Un-pasteurized can cause deadly salmonella poisoning.

It might take a little longer to keep your kitchen spotless and your food prep pristine, but if you take the time you just might save yourself a trip to the emergency room.