Is There Danger Lurking In Your Kitchen? You Might Want To Read This Before Cooking Your Dinner

There's nothing like getting into the kitchen and whipping up a homecooked meal but a health authority in the UK has warned that you could be putting yourself in danger while preparing your meals. The NHS released some new facts and figures on bacteria that could make you think twice before you re-use that chopping board, showing that 40 per cent of food poisoning cases take place at home. One of the most horrifying stats is that the average kitchen chopping board has more than 200 per cent more faecal bacteria than the average toilet seat and that bacteria like E.Coli can be spread by boards that are not fully disinfected. “When chopping boards are left for hours without being hygienically cleaned, bacteria can build up and be hard to remove – especially from old chopping boards, which have developed deep cuts and scoring. Bacteria such as Campylobacter and Salmonella, found on raw meats and poultry, may contaminate ready-to-eat foods via chopping boards. Although ideally it is good practice to have separate boards for raw and ready-to-eat foods, in a busy household this may not be manageable," warned Lisa Ackerley, food hygiene expert and Global Hygiene Council representative. "Therefore, make sure that any board used for raw meat, poultry, fish or vegetables is immediately cleaned and disinfected using the dishwasher or an anti-bacterial product.”