Salmonella lurking where you LEAST expect it

You could give Mr. Clean a run for his money…

But no matter how much you scrub or how shiny your countertops are, BACTERIA can still set up shop where you least expect it.

And researchers have identified a potential breeding ground for bacteria—like salmonella—that could be lurking inconspicuously in your kitchen…

And we’re not talking raw meats or dirty counters, either! Check this out…

A study published in the Journal of Food Protection says that your SPICE CONTAINERS can pose a greater risk for bacterial cross-contamination than cutting boards and even trash can lids.

GROSS!

Researchers discovered just how dirty a spice container could be when they conducted a study on meal preparation. They tested kitchen surfaces shortly after the food was prepared.

To simulate the movement of pathogens across an active kitchen, study researchers inoculated the raw ground turkey patties with a bacteriophage called “MS2”—a virus that infects bacteria, but won’t pose a threat to humans.

After preparing a meal with the turkey patties, study authors then proceeded to swab all the kitchen utensils, cleaning areas, and surfaces of spice containers and sink faucets to determine where MS2 was most abundant.

It turns out that a whopping 48% of the sampled spice containers displayed evidence of MS2 contamination.

Meanwhile, cutting boards and trash can lids came in second and third respectively in terms of overall contamination.

Let this serve as a friendly reminder that cross-contamination is no laughing matter, and that it can happen even when something appears clean.

So, your best bet to beating kitchen pathogens is to wash your hands during meal preparation, keep hard surfaces clean, and even take a disinfecting wipe to smaller containers and lids.

To safe eating,

Sarah Reagan

PS – There’s another kitchen staple that’s riddled with bacteria. Find out what it is and how to keep it clean (naturally).

Sources:

Melore, Chris. “Your spice containers may be contaminated with salmonella and other dangerous bacteria.” https://studyfinds.org/contamination-spice-containers/