Sanitation in the Kitchen

This information taken from http://providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/122755_23BPHLR_pdf.pdf


Sanitation in the Kitchen
Germs on dishes can make family members sick. When people get germs inside their bodies, they can become sick. When germs are on dishes, they can get into your body when you eat food from these
dishes. Germs can get on dishes in many ways. Flies and other insects can bring germs to clean or dirty
dishes, and dishes can be washed in water that has germs in it. When one person in the family gets sick,
he can give other family members his germs if the dishes are not properly sanitized. Remember that
when children in the family get sick often, they will grow too slowly.

Wash and sanitize dishes after cooking or eating.
To sanitize means to kill all the germs or parasite eggs on an object. You can sanitize your dishes by washing them in hot, soapy water. The soap helps get the food off the dishes. The heat and the soap kill the germs that make you sick. After washing the dishes, rinse them in hot water. Place them in a draining rack to dry. Because the dishes are hot, they will dry quickly.

If fuel is expensive, you can heat the water for washing dishes by putting a pan of water over the cooking coals after the meal is cooked and leaving it there until after the meal. You cannot sanitize dishes by washing them in cold water with soap. If you cannot use hot water, you can sanitize dishes in another way. First wash your dishes in cold water with soap and rinse them in cold water. Then rinse them again in a sanitizing solution made by adding one teaspoon of 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite bleach to one liter of water. Note that the amount of chlorine bleach in the sanitizing solution is much more than what is used to purify water for drinking. Be sure to clearly label the sanitizing solution so it will not be confused with drinking water.
You can use the rinse water with chlorine in it over and over during the day as long as the same strong smell of chlorine comes from the water. If you carefully wash and rinse the dishes in cold water before putting them in the sanitizing solution, the solution may last all day. Notice the strong smell of bleach and compare it to the smell of purified drinking water. Also notice the feel of your hands after rinsing them in the sanitizing solution.

Make sure the dishes do not get germs on them again after they have been sanitized. 
Many people wipe their dishes dry with a towel. Many germs can be hidden in towels and will get on the dishes during wiping. You should let the dishes dry on a clean drain rack after they have been sanitized. Cover the dishes with a clean, dry cloth while they are drying so dirt and insects will not get on them.

After sanitized dishes are dry, put them in cupboards or containers that keep dirt, flies, cockroaches, and other insects away. Closed cupboards are the best place. Regularly wash the ) cupboards with soap, rinse them, and sanitize them with sanitizing solution. Make sure the doors of the cupboards fit tightly. If you have separate boxes for dishes, knives, forks, and spoons, your cooking area will be organized and easier to keep sanitary. You may want to store sanitized utensils in clean tin cans or plastic containers with lids. If you cannot keep dishes sanitary, you must sanitize them just before using them by rinsing them in sanitizing solution.
Sanitized dishes and dishes with germs on them may look exactly the same. However, a microscope would show no germs on the sanitized dishes.

Keep the cooking area in your home clean.
You can get sick from germs that are in many places in the kitchen. These germs get on the food when it is prepared and served. You must sanitize cutting boards, utensils, food containers, and places where you prepare food. You can do this by rinsing these things with the sanitizing solution.

Sometimes cutting boards, wooden bowls, and tables have many deep scratches or cracks on them. The chlorine bleach cannot kill the germs in the deep scratches. Because of this, you should occasionally use sandpaper to remove the scratches. Then the wooden items will be easier to sanitize. If you cannot do this, you can put a plastic sheet or an oilcloth on the surface and sanitize it.

If you do not have a flat surface for preparing food, use flat plates (glazed or metal). Sanitize them after you use them, and store them away from dust and flies.It is also important to keep the floor of your eating area clean. Sweep it after each meal, and clean the floor of the entire cooking area at least once a day. If the floor is a hard surface, scrub it with soap and water frequently. If the floor is made of dirt, put a layer of smooth gravel or cobblestone on it to reduce dust, if possible. You can also oil and pack a dirt floor to reduce
dust.

Dust the walls and ceiling occasionally and wash them if possible.
It is difficult to keep your cooking area clean if the smoke from the cooking fire is not vented away from the area. If you have smoke in your cooking area, you should find a way to vent it. Store pure drinking water and leftover food away from insects and dust. You should always have a source of pure water in your cooking area. Contaminated water spreads many diseases. Keep the pure water in a closed container so dust and insects will not get in it. Label it “Drinking Water.” Make pure water by adding four drops of chlorine bleach containing 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite to each liter of clear or filtered water. After 30 minutes, the water is safe to drink. Store any leftover food in containers that seal tightly. If possible, put the containers in a refrigerator or on shelves protected by a screen door. Leftover food will store longer and stay safer at low temperatures. Cook all leftover food well before serving it again.

Keep garbage in a sealed container.
Keep garbage in a container that seals tightly until you dispose of it properly. This will help
to keep flies, rats, and mice away. You can use a simple pail with a lid that fits tightly or a closed
plastic bag. Dispose of the garbage as far away from the house as possible.


Sanitizing Solution: 1 liter water + 1 teaspoon fresh chlorine bleach (4–6%)
Not all of this information may apply to you right now...but when you are in Guatemala on a mission you may need it!