Do You Know What's On Your Kitchen Sponge?

One of the most dangerous sources of virulent bacteria, including E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus and others, is the kitchen sponge and 'dish cloths' in American homes.

Ways To Clean Your Kitchen Sponge or Dish Cloth

ARS food safety experts who specialize in research on foodborne pathogens, looked at several simple, convenient and often-recommended ways of cleaning reusable kitchen sponges. Microwaving and dishwashing each killed nearly 100 percent of the bacteria, with dishwashing being only slightly (0.0001 percent) less effective. And, microwaving and dishwashing each killed nearly all yeasts and molds; less than 1 percent (only 0.00001 percent) survived.

1. Wet the sponge well and microwave it on high for about 2 minutes. Be careful a dry sponge can catch on fire.

2. Wash it in the hot cycle of your washing machine and leave them there through a drying cycle.

3. Clean the sponge and sanitize it in a diluted bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach added to 1 gallon of water) before using a second time.

4. Replace worn sponges rather than reusing.

5. Avoid using your kitchen sponge to wipe up raw eggs, meat juice and other food items typically high in harmful bacteria. If you do use your sponge for such purposes, wash and disinfect it immediately afterward.

6. Clean your sponge after each use.


Resources.
Kids Eat Right, Monday Message. Is your kitchen sponge making you sick? Stop the spread of dangerous bacteria with these tips. http://bit.ly/ouJicK
Home Food Safety. How Safe is Your Kitchen?

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The latest egg recall that caused a salmonella outbreak raises questions about whether the Food and Drug Administration can handle its job. Betty Ann Bowser looks at how large quantities of imported pharmaceuticals and food are straining the FDA safety net.

The House Committee on Energy and Commerce is coming down on three egg producers in Maine with ties to Austin "Jack" DeCoster, whose Iowa-based farm was linked to the recent US egg recall, reports Boston.com Thursday.

The Committee has asked DeCoster to hand in inspection documents linked to egg contamination from Dorothy Egg Farms, Mountain Hollow Farms and Quality Egg of New England; the three farms distribute about 100 million cartons of eggs yearly to Maine's grocery stores.

"The companies appear to be linked to DeCoster, but we don't know what role, if any, they played in the recall," said Committee spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot.

Two Iowa farms issued recalls after over 1,500 people in the US were sickened by alleged salmonella contaminated eggs.