Is it contaminating the spice to touch it after touching raw meat?
When I cook raw meat, especially chicken strips, I have it spread out on the chopping board with a few bags and containers of spice to the side. I don't actually use too many shakers for spice. Since my fingers can only hold so much spice at once, I often go back to the bag and grab some more and rub it on the meat. But this is after my fingers have touched the meat. Does this contaminate the spice in the bag or container?
Also, chefs on TV shows frequently make it that way, does this mean it is a safe practice?
Best Answer
The bowl (and the salt/pepper) is contaminated if you touch it after touching raw chicken or any other unsafe food.
In fact, this is precisely why cooks and TV chefs mix it up in a little bowl first. They don't want to contaminate the entire container or even a perfectly good salt/pepper shaker.
They don't reuse the bowl afterward, they throw out any leftovers and toss the dish in the dishwasher. It's a convenient and safe way to season raw meat.
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Can you touch things after touching raw meat?
Raw meat can carry germs like viruses and bacteria that can make you sick. These can transfer to our hands, cooking utensils, and other food. This is called "cross-contamination".Do chefs wash hands after touching raw meat?
What the researchers found was staggering: 88% of the chefs were not shown washing their hands after handling raw meat. One out of five was guilty of touching their hair while preparing food, and 21% were witnessed licking their fingers.Can raw meat contaminate other foods?
Don't let raw meat drip onto other food \u2013 keep all meat, poultry, fish and shellfish in sealed containers at the bottom of your fridge. Raw meat and fish contain harmful bacteria that can spread very easily to anything they touch, including other foods, worktops, chopping boards and knives.Should you wash hands after touching meat?
Handwashing is especially important during some key times when germs can spread easily: Before, during, and after preparing any food. After handling uncooked meat, poultry, seafood, flour, or eggs. Before and after using gloves to prevent germs from spreading to your food and your hands.How Does Cross-Contamination Happen?
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Answer 2
Yes, that'll contaminate your spices. You really don't want to touch anything after touching raw meat, unless it's something you're about to wash or cook.
It's not too hard to avoid this though. You can keep a clean hand and a dirty hand - grab spices with the clean one, rub them in with the other. As Joe points out, this is also helpful if you end up needing to do anything else, like grabbing another spice, stirring something on the stove, looking at a recipe, or answering your phone.
You might also be able to use a spoon, but you'll want to be careful not to let the part of the handle that you touch also touch your spice containers, which might be more trouble than it's worth.
If you're using multiple spices, it's also often a good idea to just mix what you'll need ahead of time. If it's in a bowl just for this meat, you don't have to worry about contaminating it.
Answer 3
As far as salt goes, it was used as a food preservative for 100's of years. Cellular organisms that are transferred from the cooks hand to the salt bowl die quickly. There is an osmotic affect where the cell and the salt dish want to be at the same salinity level. The cell will then let all of its water out trying to dilute the salt. It dehydrates and dies.
With that said most of the cooks are just following cue cards and will throw out all remaining items at the end of show. They don't even set up the ingredients. They may check it over after initial setup but they usually have staff that have to do that.
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