Bacteria-Safe Kitchen Cabinets
Summer cookouts can be a bit risky in terms of keeping the food safe from bacteria. Warmer temperatures, keeping food sitting out for extended periods of time, and delayed clean up are all things that increase the risk. Does your kitchen cabinet increase the risk of bacterial infection of food?
The Best Types of Kitchen Cabinets for Food Safety
There has been a bit of controversy in recent years over what the most bacteria safe kitchen cabinet top is. It is true that the more porous your kitchen cabinet top is the better the chance of dangerous bacteria becoming trapped. Marble, wood, and tile all are more likely to be more porous than stainless steel or laminate. If your kitchen cabinet top is marble, wood, or tile be sure that you have the surface resealed often. Even laminate kitchen cabinets that become scarred by knife cuts and scorch marks have increased porosity and you should consider refacing them. To minimize the chances of your kitchen cabinet tops becoming contaminated, the US FDA recommends refacing or replacing the counter tops with cutting boards.
Kitchen Cabinet Food Safety Steps
No matter what type of kitchen cabinet you have, you should begin practicing safe food handling practices. Here are a few suggestions to get started:
- Have several cutting boards and use one for meats, one for fruits and vegetables, one for cheeses, etc.
- After working with meats wash your kitchen cabinet top with hot water and soap, then follow up with sanitizing with a bleach cleanser.
- Never thaw or marinade meats directly on your kitchen cabinets.
- If your kitchen cabinet counter top is porous and needs refacing, be especially sure to include the bleach cleansing step.
Virtually any kitchen cabinet can be safe if you use good food preparation practices. If you are unsure, a little refacing of your cabinets may increase fun all year.
