How clean is your kitchen? Food Safety is becoming an increasingly important issue both in industry and in the home. Many are quick to blame the local takeaway or the restaurant they recently visited when they become ill with suspected food poisoning, but many people pick up food poisoning in their own homes. We clean the fridge, the food preparation surfaces, wash our hands, use fresh food and cook it properly. So, what could possibly go wrong? Well, we often bring our handbags into the kitchen or check our phones while cleaning, preparing or eating food.

Handbags are infested with dangerous bacteria! A Food Safety Risk

You are in a bar or restaurant, where do you put your bag? On the floor? You use a public toilet and there is no hook on the back of the door for your bag, where do you put it? Do you clean and disinfect your bag regularly? When you arrive
home, you enter your kitchen. Do you put your bag on the kitchen table or kitchen counter? Perhaps it’s time to think about food safety, read on to find out why!

10,000 different types of bacteria could be present in just a few square centimeters of most handbags. MRSA, Salmonella, E.coli & meningitis were common on both handbags and make-up bags tested. Scientists have found antibiotic-resistant superbugs on many of the handbags tested. This has a very serious potential consequences for public health. On a global scale there are 700,000 deaths caused by superbugs every year and this number is rising rapidly.

Furry bags or faux fur handbags provide a particularly good breeding ground for dangerous bacteria. Microbiologists are urging women to thoroughly clean their bags and use anti-bacterial wipes at least once a month.

Mobile Phones are a major germ hazard.

I bet you clean your toilet more often than you clean your phone. Your phone is up to 18 times dirtier than your toilet. Yes, manky! Let’s think about it, how many times do you handle your phone daily? Do you check your phone while using the toilet? Do you keep it in your nice warm pocket? Bacteria love warm conditions. How often do you wash and disinfect your phone? Never is the most likely answer.

One study confirmed E.coli among several other harmful bacteria on 56% on phones tested and found poor hand-washing to be a major contributor.

Microbiologists are urging bans on phones in hospitals and the use of handbags in work by medical staff. They are deemed high-risk in terms of cross contamination and risk of infection to patients a venerable group in terms of risk of food poisoning.  Other vulnerable groups in the household include babies and young children, pregnant women, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions.

Kyocera, a Japanese company are launching a phone that is not only waterproof but can also withstand a good scrub with hot soapy water. If you are not interested in upgrading just yet, do not worry. Dublin based Irish Tech firm Kastus have unveiled a superbug solution, Log4+ formula in January 2017 that kills bacteria including E.coli for everyday surfaces including mobile phones.

Food Safety Training Increases Awareness & Promotes Good Practice

Food Safety & HACCP training is mandatory in the food industry, there is clear legislation and guidelines in terms of storage of personal belongings and stringent hand-washing procedures. Many people are being poisoned in their own homes, perhaps everyone should have a basic awareness of food safety and hygiene.

Click here to see our full range of traditional food safety & HACCP training  and our online courses.