10 Cooking Habits That Could Be Costing You Your Health

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Check if you're making these common mistakes when cooking.

1. Taste food to check if it's spoiled

You won't detect all harmful bacteria by taste, appearance, or smell. But even a small amount of spoiled food can cause serious poisoning. If you have even the slightest suspicion about the edibility of a product, it is better to throw it away.

2. Put ready-made food on a plate that used to hold raw meat

Never allow raw meat and fish to come into contact with other foods. Otherwise, bacteria from them will get on the ready-made food, which can lead to food poisoning.

Always use separate plates, cutting boards, and knives for raw and ready-made foods.

3. Defrost foods directly on the table

Harmful food bacteria multiply very quickly at temperatures from 4 to 60 °C. This is a danger zone. Therefore, always defrost meat only in the refrigerator or microwave.

4. Wash raw meat

It is better not to wash raw meat. During the washing process, bacteria are transferred to the sink, table and other surfaces along with the water.

“If there are no visible traces of dirt on a piece of meat, then do not wash it. A product with dust, sawdust, traces of dirty hands is unlikely to reach your table. And the process of processing the carcass at the factory and on the market does not provide for the fact that the meat can get dirty. The danger is that under the stream of water, bacteria spread over the entire surface of the sink. This is a direct path to poisoning, because this way they will easily get on your plates,” says the doctor, an expert in the Instamart hypermarket delivery service.

Brand chef of the Smoke BBQ restaurant Oleksiy Kanivskyi shares a similar opinion: “Meat that is sold in a package, such as steaks, should not be washed. Before cooking, blot it with a towel so that the surface becomes dry. Wet meat, when sent to a frying pan, comes into conflict with heated oil.”

5. Cool food before putting it in the refrigerator

Do not leave food on the table for more than two hours or one hour if the temperature in the room is above 32 °C. Pathogenic bacteria multiply very quickly in perishable products at temperatures from 4 to 60 °C. When traveling and picnics, put food in a portable refrigerator.

6. Try raw dough

Never eat raw eggs in any form. They may contain salmonella bacteria or other harmful microorganisms. You should also never eat unbaked dough, even if it is egg-free. Flour may contain E. coli, which can cause food poisoning.

7. Use marinade from raw meat with ready-made food

Do not leave raw meat or fish to marinate on the table. Put them in the refrigerator. Harmful microorganisms multiply quickly at temperatures between 4 and 60 °C.

Never use marinade left over from raw meat with ready-to-eat food. If you want to use it as a sauce, boil it.

8. Undercook meat, fish and eggs

Food is only safe after it has been heated to a high enough temperature. This kills all harmful bacteria. To prevent foods from being undercooked or undercooked, use a kitchen thermometer when cooking.

Do not rely solely on the appearance, smell or taste to determine whether a dish is ready or not.

9. Not washing your hands

Bacteria live on all surfaces, including your hands. Always wash your hands with warm, soapy water before preparing food. And wash them again when you’re done.

10. Not changing your dishwashing sponges

Dishwashing sponges and rags are some of the dirtiest items in the kitchen. They harbor dangerous bacteria. Disinfect them at least every other day and change them every week or two.