These hacks by FSSAI will help you disinfect your kitchen easily! – Times of India

Did you know that germs can quickly get from one surface to another in the kitchen? If they get into the food or even on your skin, they can make you ill in no time. Thus, it is crucial to keep the home and kitchen surfaces disinfected to limit the possibility of infection. Coronavirus has brought the focus on hygiene, cleanliness and food safety. Many people have been sanitising all the food products that enter the kitchen to keep the surfaces germ-free. It is imperative to follow proper food safety measures to keep ourselves and our families safe from the looming threat of the virus. Therefore, it is now more important than ever to keep our homes and kitchens clean. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has released three helpful tips to sanitise home and kitchen surfaces effectively during the coronavirus.

Wash Your Kitchen Counters

Kitchen counters can be full of germs. It is the first place where we keep the grocery bags and food products that we bring from the market. We also chop vegetables, meats and other food items on chopping boards placed over the counter, most often without washing our hands promptly after each use. Dirt and dust too easily settle on the kitchen counters. It is vital to keep your kitchen counters clean to avoid contaminating the food with disease-causing germs. As per FSSAI, you should wash the kitchen slabs and counters well with detergent and water at least once every day.

Keep Your Gas Stove Clean

If you check your gas stove after making a meal, you will find that some food particles drop and dry up over it. After a few hours, it becomes a breeding ground for disease-causing bacteria. Therefore, FSSAI advises thoroughly cleaning the gas stoves after preparing each meal. This actively reduces the risk of spreading infection and maintaining necessary cleanliness and hygiene. You can also make a paste with baking soda and water to deeply cleanse your gas stove.

Disinfect Your Utensils & Equipment

To prevent the spread of diseases such as coronavirus, the utensils and kitchen equipment that we use must be disinfected daily. FSSAI recommends that the utensils and equipment we use should be thoroughly washed with soap or detergent and water after each use. Make sure you clean your kitchen counter, gas stove, utensils and equipment thoroughly before using a commercial or homemade disinfectant. If there are food or rigid particles settled on a surface, the disinfectant will not be able to get through.

Properly sanitising and disinfecting the kitchen will not just equip you to fight COVID-19 but also maintain food safety. Follow the useful guidelines by FSSAI to keep yourself and your family away from the risk of disease contamination. Stay safe!