S'pore households fare poorly in kitchen hygiene
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SINGAPORE : Singapore households fare poorly when it comes to kitchen hygiene, according to a survey.
Eighty-eight per cent of homes have a significant presence of harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning.
Some 25 households participated in the week-long Finish/Bosch Kitchen Hygiene Study.
Most of the households surveyed said they do not wash utensils and dishes with hot water.
Meanwhile, only 44 per cent said they wash their hands after handling raw meat.
All this is poor kitchen hygiene, as harmful bacteria such as salmonella and E.coli can thrive.
However, about 80 per cent believe they are not likely to get food poisoning.
Dr Wong Sin Yew, an infectious disease physician, said: "Many of you are also aware that the practice of food hygiene is not optimal but not all of you fall sick. We do get exposed to bacteria but we do have an intact immune system and most of the time, our immune system does handle it.
"But we really shouldn't push our luck. I think we should practise good habits and make sure we reduce our risks."
According to the survey, one of the main culprits in the kitchen which could cause cross-contamination is the kitchen sponge. What is worrying is that 88 per cent of sponges tested were found to contain E.coli and salmonella.
The common excuses for being sloppy about kitchen hygiene are laziness and a lack of time.
Gary Teng, a participant, said: "Firstly in the preparation of food, I think we are not so conscious of washing our hands when we handle the food. And also washing the dishes after dinner, we do not use hot water, and the kitchen towel that is used to wipe the dishes and work top is the same."
Another respondent, Katherine Kang, said: "I am guilty of over-using my sponge. That means I only throw my sponge away when I realise it is visually ugly. That means they are flaking off, rather than a systematic way of throwing them every two to three weeks."
With 2,370 cases of acute diarrhoea reported each week in Singapore, experts said it is time to keep the kitchen free of germs.
- CNA/ms -
How many Singaporean households cook these days?
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