On Sep 29, 7:19*am, ImStillMags > wrote:
> On Sep 28, 6:32*pm, spamtrap1888 > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Disagree. The author wanted a restaurant-quality inspection, and got
> > it. The SJ Mercury News ran a similar article years ago, on
> > volunteers' kitchens. One woman almost passed, except she allowed her
> > dog in the kitchen. Keep hot food hot and cold food cold, Get oven and
> > fridge thermometers and meat thermometers, as well as a pocket test
> > thermometer. Nothing that collects dust, no surfaces that can't be
> > wiped clean.
>
> The basics of a clean kitchen I agree with wholeheartedly....remember
> I had a restaurant so I know about proper food handling. * *But a home
> kitchen is not a restaurant kitchen. * You family is involved in your
> kitchen and it includes the whole family, including pets.
>
> Health Department regulations for industrial and institutional
> kitchens are there for the protection of the public.
> If you are conscious about proper food handling, refrigeration and
> sanitation of sinks and surfaces in your home kitchen you are fine.

I remember some more lessons from the SJMN article, applicable to
every kitchen. The biggest one we were doing wrong was storing food
next to cleaning supplies -- no storing food with poisons. Our past
two fridges have a fresh meat drawer below everything else, and I made
sure to get glass shelves instead of grates.to prevent items on one
shelf dripping on others. We;ve always used a separate (black) plastic
cuttingboard for meat, and I soak/wash it separately.

>
> Unless you have a compromised immune system, the human body handles
> pretty much everything very well.
> If you handle foods properly, proper cooling and storage, etc., the
> stringent regulations imposed on commercial kitchens are not as
> applicable to the home.
>
> Nobody is talking about not cleaning or sanitizing or leaving foods
> out, etc. * But your cat or your dog or your kids do not an unclean
> kitchen make.

The fact that cats can jump up on counters does creep me out. Our dog
stays on the floor.