Kitchen hygiene and foodborne infections: avoiding salmonella and co.

In short: Most foodborne infections can be avoided with four habits: wash hands, keep raw and cooked food apart, cook thoroughly and store cold.

In more detail: Typical pathogens are salmonella, campylobacter, norovirus, listeria and EHEC. Symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting and fever often begin hours to days after eating.

In Depth

The four basic rules

1. Clean: wash hands 20–30 seconds with soap before cooking and again after touching raw meat and eggs. Change cloths often (60 °C wash).
2. Separate: raw meat, poultry, fish and eggs apart from salad and ready dishes; separate boards or wash thoroughly.
3. Cook through: core temperature from about 70 °C (poultry, mince), eggs hard-boiled; a kitchen thermometer helps.
4. Chill: cool leftovers quickly, keep them in the fridge at 7 °C at most and reheat only once (to at least 70 °C).

Risk foods

• Raw poultry (campylobacter, salmonella): never wash it (splashes spread germs), just pat dry.
• Raw milk, raw sausage, smoked salmon, soft cheese: avoid or heat for pregnant women, toddlers, the elderly and the immunocompromised because of listeria.
• Raw eggs: mayonnaise, tiramisu, dough. Sprouts and raw vegetables only fresh and washed thoroughly.
• Rice: cool quickly after cooking (Bacillus cereus).

If it has happened

• Drink plenty (water, tea, electrolyte solution), light food.
• Medical help for blood in the stool, high fever, dehydration (little urine, dizziness), for infants, the elderly or symptoms lasting several days.
• Hygiene around the sick: separate towels, frequent hand washing, disinfect the toilet.
• For illness in communal settings (nursery, kitchen) there are reporting duties (Infection Protection Act). This article is no substitute for medical advice.

See also: Storing food correctly, Egg labelling, Best-before and use-by dates