Clean Hands and Safe Food

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Dirty hands and work surfaces involved in food preparation are often the culprit for food related illness - more so than food producers or processors. Thoroughly washing your hands is one of the most effective ways to keep bacteria from spreading to food.

Always wash your hands thoroughly with hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food. Use a fingernail brush or old toothbrush to clean under and around fingernails. Hands should always be thoroughly washed after using the restroom, changing diapers, blowing your nose, handling pets or taking out garbage.

Also remember to thoroughly wash hands after working with meat or poultry before moving on to the next item in food preparation.

Use paper towels rather than a cloth towel to dry hands.

Denise Sullivan, DSulliva@oznet.ksu.edu
County Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences
Leavenworth County, Kansas
Kansas State University Research and Extension