Spice jars used within the meal, the researchers discovered, have been far and away probably the most cross-contaminated spot — 48 p.c of these used have been discovered to harbor micro organism from the turkey.
The examine, not too long ago revealed within the Journal of Meals Safety, famous that whereas customers might need heard concerning the significance of cleansing slicing boards or wiping down handles, they may not have thought of their spice jars. “Shoppers might not essentially suppose to wipe down or decontaminate spice containers after cooking as a result of they don’t seem to be usually focused as excessive danger for cross-contamination in client messaging,” the examine says.
Within the examine, researchers watched 371 folks put together seasoned turkey burgers — which had been inoculated with a innocent tracer micro organism typically used as a “surrogate” for the norovirus — and a premade salad, utilizing sterilized kitchens of various sizes, from apartment-style ones to educating kitchens in extension facilities. As soon as the meals have been finished, the scientists collected swabs from 12 surfaces, together with utensils and counter tops.
Most surfaces examined constructive 20 p.c of the time or much less, in contrast with the spice jars’ 48 p.c. And the micro organism discovered on the spices was in increased concentrations than in different areas, in line with the examine, though slicing boards and trash-bin lids have been additionally present in related concentrations. That “could possibly be on account of their shut proximity to the area during which turkey patty dealing with occurred, the dearth of makes an attempt made to clean arms between dealing with the bottom turkey and seasoning the patties with the spices, the dearth of makes an attempt made to wash or sanitize the spice containers after dealing with, and the excessive variety of occasions the containers have been dealt with,” the examine says.
The outcomes stunned even the meals security specialists conducting the examine, mentioned Donald Schaffner, a professor within the meals science division on the Rutgers College of Environmental and Organic Sciences who led the analysis. “We had not seen proof of spice container contamination earlier than,” Schaffner told Food Safety News. “Most analysis on the cross-contamination of kitchen surfaces on account of dealing with of uncooked meat or poultry merchandise has centered on kitchen slicing boards or faucet handles and has uncared for surfaces like spice containers, trash-bin lids and different kitchen utensils. This makes this examine and related research from members of this group extra complete than earlier research.”
So what ought to dwelling cooks make of the examine? Benjamin Chapman, the top of the division of agricultural and human sciences at North Carolina State College and a senior creator of the examine, mentioned he doesn’t suppose folks want to right away douse their spice racks in bleach. Many pathogens turn out to be much less potent on surfaces, he famous.
However he mentioned the findings level to a necessity for extra hand-washing in the course of the meal preparation course of, not simply earlier than and after. “We’ve tried to distill messages into issues which are easy, like after dealing with meat, wash your arms,” he mentioned in an interview with The Washington Publish. Some folks, although, would possibly consider the seasoning step as being a part of the dealing with of meat, he famous. “The extra we take a look at what folks truly do within the kitchen, we understand we’ve got to be extra prescriptive — like, while you’re finished dealing with a turkey patty, you could wash your arms earlier than you seize that spice jar.”
Spices are a stealthy potential germ magnet, Chapman mentioned. “It’s a hand contact level, however not one we take into consideration, as a result of it’s blended into the meal preparation.”
Cooks who’ve finished an excellent job of hand-washing don’t must be as vigilant, however for those who suppose you could be vulnerable to cross-contamination, Chapman steered wiping spice jars down with a soapy material and ending with a wipe of a disinfecting kitchen spray. And he famous that not all meals are equal-opportunity germ-spreaders. The dish he and the opposite researchers got here up with for the examine — a patty of floor turkey meat that requires forming by hand — was designed to be a “worst-case state of affairs.”
