How to Clean to Avoid E. coli

Escherichia coli, otherwise known as E. coli, is a bacterium that we all have in our intestines to help us digest food. Unfortunately, there are strains that are also harmful to humans, causing serious illness that can be fatal. Although E. coli is often associated with beef, it can appear in any food or surface due to cross-contamination. Cross-contamination is when something that is unaffected with E. coli comes into contact with something that is infected with the bacterium.

Instructions

• 1

  Wash your hands after you handle raw meat. If the meat contains E. coli, then that bacterium will be on your hands. A better method of handling the meat is to open the package, place the raw meat into the pan, dispose of the packaging and then wash your hands. This helps to minimize any infection from getting on your hands.

• 2

  Clean up any meat blood that gets on your counters, using a sanitizing wipe or solution. Be sure not to reuse the rag that you used to clean up the blood until it is properly washed with soap and hot water. If you do, you could contaminate many surfaces of your home and risk infecting your entire family.

• 3

  Wipe down all surfaces with a sanitizing wipe or solution before you lay food on the counters, even if you have not recently had any raw meat in your kitchen. You also need to wipe down all surfaces after you cook raw meat. Wipe down once before you begin to cook, once after you place the meat in the pan and again after you are done cooking.

• 4

  Rinse all raw fruits and vegetables with water to rub away bacteria. Although these produce may not get contaminated in your kitchen, they could have been contaminated long before you bought them. They had a long journey from the farm to your kitchen, and many people have handled these produce. Even organic fruits and vegetables are not safe from this type of contamination. You can transfer bacteria from the outside of the fruit or vegetable to the inside when you peeling these produce, so wash them even if you plan to peel them.