Food poisoning isn't pretty, and there are many common mistakes people make in the kitchen every day that put them at risk of getting ill. From overfilling fridges and reusing dirty chopping boards to double dipping spoons and undercooking meat, these are the 31 hygiene errors everyone makes when cooking – along with tips for how to avoid them.
Click or scroll our gallery to uncover the kitchen mistakes that could poison you, counting down to the biggest error of them all.
We’ve based our ranking on how common the mistakes are and how likely they are to cause food poisoning, with guidance from official sources and expert advice.
According to the British Food Standards Agency, 2.4 million foodborne illnesses are reported annually in the UK, while the US Department of Agriculture reports a whopping 48 million in the US every year – the equivalent of one in every six Americans getting sick from something they ate. From thoroughly cleaning hands before handling foods to separating raw meats from fresh produce, many of these can be prevented by following good food hygiene practices. For this gallery, the tips have been approved by the British Food Standards Agency and NHS, and the US Department of Agriculture.
Delicate soft fruit like raspberries and strawberries might seem fiddly to wash, but they can carry harmful bacteria and viruses picked up through contaminated water or during the picking and packaging process. Give them a rinse under cold water just to be sure.
As tempting as it can be to stroke or feed your pet when they come strolling into the kitchen, try to resist during the preparation and cooking process. Loose pet hairs and bacteria could transfer into the meal, so it’s best to steer clear altogether. If you do forget, wash your hands with warm soapy water before returning to your prep.
Fruits grown on the ground, like cantaloupe, watermelon and honeydew melon, have a high food poisoning risk because listeria bacteria can grow on the rough rind and spread to the flesh. Symptoms of the bacteria include nausea, diarrhoea, a high temperature and chills. Wash melons thoroughly, and remove the flesh from the peel to be extra safe before consuming.
While it may feel like a waste to throw away ice cream once it’s melted, don't re-freeze it. When the creamy product is left out at room temperature for an extended period of time, harmful bacteria like listeria can begin to develop and ultimately cause you to become ill. To avoid this, it’s best to throw the item away if left out for too long.
Submerging wooden chopping boards and utensils in water is a big no-no. This porous material will instantly soak up any excess moisture, and over time can begin to warp, crack and even grow bacteria. To avoid this, simply sponge wash the board thoroughly and allow to dry completely before storing away – and never put wooden materials in the dishwasher.
Leave space in your fridge to allow air to circulate. Overfilling it with food can increase the temperature and the risk of bacteria reproduction. Bacteria can grow most rapidly in the 8-60°C (46-140°F) ‘danger zone’, so you want to avoid keeping food in this temperature range as much as possible.
Wiping down surfaces before, during and after food preparation may seem obvious, but it’s easy to forget. Leaving kitchen worktops and hobs dirty can encourage harmful bacteria to grow and, in turn, cause illness. Make sure the area is clear before beginning, and ideally clean as you go during the cooking process to avoid a big build up at the end.
It's useful to have a tin of tomatoes or beans in the cupboard, but canned food doesn't last forever – stick to the expiration date. Also, if you only use half a tin, avoid storing the open can in the fridge as food can develop a metallic taste. Instead, decant it into another sealed container.
There’s a very good reason the freezer aisle is at the end of most supermarket layouts – and it could help prevent you from being seriously unwell. You should always purchase frozen products at the end of your shop, so the food doesn’t come up to room temperature while you’re browsing the other aisles.
How often do you change your dish cloth? These, along with washing up sponges, scouring pads and tea towels, can be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. The British Food Standards Agency recommends changing or washing these items at least once a week to avoid cross-contamination. Allowing these kitchen staples to fully dry in between each use is important, too.
When was the last time you guessed how long to heat something in the microwave? Labels are there for a reason, so it’s important to thoroughly read – and follow – instructions on processed foods. Packaging usually comes with useful information regarding cooking timings, alongside expiry or best before dates and storage information. Undercooking a meat-loaded frozen pizza could do more damage than you realise.
Good food hygiene starts before you even get in the kitchen. When you’re doing a big food shop, always separate raw meat or fish from any other produce in your trolley, to avoid cross-contamination. Use a different section in the trolley to help divide the items. Many supermarkets also provide plastic or paper bags near the fresh meat aisles to help contain these products, or you could use fresh produce bags.
While most people have heard this one before, it's easy to forget to put it into practice. Raw meat should be kept on the bottom shelf in a clean, sealed container. Not only is this the coldest area of the fridge, but storing meat this way eliminates the risk of any juices cross-contaminating other items. As a rule of thumb, keep raw meat separate from any other produce.
From checking the seasoning in homemade sauces to testing whether your pasta is perfectly cooked, one rule when you’re hosting others for dinner is to never double dip your tasting spoon. Bacteria from your mouth can easily transfer into the meal and cause others to become unwell – and this is especially important if you’re feeling ill yourself. If you need to try the dish multiple times, use different spoons on each occasion.
From old milk to leftovers stuffed in the back of your fridge, we've all done the sniff test, but not all bacteria produce bad smells. While your sense of smell can be a good indicator, don’t trust it as the only way to detect potential food poisoning problems. Check expiry dates and, if you're unsure, don't take the risk.
Consuming food you’ve dropped but saved within the ‘five second rule’ could be doing more harm than you realise. This age-old myth has been around for years, suggesting that foods can still be eaten if they’ve fallen on the floor and retrieved within five seconds, but it turns out there’s little truth to it. Certain items, especially moist and warm foods, can pick up bacteria almost instantly. In these cases, it’s best to dispose of them to avoid risking illness.
From chicken and beef to shrimp and tofu, marinating foods is a brilliant way to lock in extra flavour, but it’s advisable to proceed with caution. You should always keep the ingredients in the fridge while its marinating, as bacteria can quickly grow when foods come up to room temperature. It’s also worth noting that you should never use leftover marinating liquid as a sauce – especially if it has come into contact with raw meat or fish – unless it's been brought to a rapid boil first.
Even a tiny scratch is an open wound that can carry harmful bacteria, and this is a common source of food poisoning. Wrap any cuts, no matter how small, in an adhesive bandage before any food preparation process. In professional kitchens, the bandages are always bright blue so that they're easy to see.
Rinsing fresh fruits, vegetables and salad leaves prior to consumption may seem like common sense, but it’s very easily forgotten. The exterior of these foods can carry loose dirt and pesticides, and act as a breeding ground for bacteria. Make washing produce part of your preparation routine and you will significantly reduce the risk of getting ill. Peeling vegetables can help remove bacteria, too.
Steer clear of those egg sandwiches that have been out on the buffet table all afternoon. Keeping risky foods like eggs, rice, meat and fish at the wrong temperature is a surefire way to spread food poisoning. Ideally, dishes shouldn't be left out for more than two hours at room temperature, or no more than one hour if it’s a hot day.
Cool leftovers as quickly as possible, ideally within two hours. If leftovers take too long to cool or they’re left out, there's an increased risk of bacteria reproducing. Store in the fridge and always eat within two days or, alternatively, freeze them.
Putting hot or warm food in the fridge raises the internal temperature and could put all the items in there at risk of bacteria growth. However, it's also important to chill dishes quickly after they've been cooked. To cool food down more rapidly, so it's at a suitable temperature to store in the fridge, divide it into smaller portions, spread food like rice on a tray and cover saucepans and move to colder areas. The coldest part of a fridge should be below 5ºC (41ºF).
When you’re grilling sausages and burgers on the barbecue, it’s easier to use one set of tongs or the same spatula, but you’re at risk of spreading harmful bacteria from raw to cooked meats and vegetables. Get two different coloured utensils – one for raw and one for cooked food – and an extra utensil if you’re catering for anyone with dietary requirements.
Defrost frozen food as quickly as possible to avoid food poisoning – that means not leaving it out on the kitchen table all day. Defrosting food in the fridge overnight is the best option, as it keeps food out of the bacteria ‘danger zone’ – this is temperatures between 8-60°C (46-140°F). Defrost meat on a plate or in a container, too, so juices don't drip onto other foods.
Never buy food where the packaging or seal is broken. Food could have become contaminated during the processing or transportation period, and therefore has a higher risk of food poisoning. If you notice a damaged product, report it to the store’s staff so they can remove it from the shelves.
Washing raw meat, like chicken or turkey, is an old-fashioned food safety myth. Rinsing meat will splash bacteria all over your kitchen, sink, cloths and utensils – and this can in turn increase your risk of food poisoning. Instead, it's recommended that you follow basic food hygiene while preparing meats like chicken, and cook it thoroughly to avoid contamination.
Uncooked rice can contain spores of bacillus cereus bacterium, which can survive when rice is cooked and then left at room temperature – and grow into bacteria that cause vomiting or diarrhoea. Always cool rice within an hour, keep leftover rice for no longer than one day, make sure any reheated is piping hot all the way through before consuming, and never reheat it more than once.
Don’t be tempted to keep raw meat and fish for too long. Ideally, cook or freeze fresh poultry, fish and ground meat within two days of purchase, while beef, pork and lamb can keep up to five days in the fridge. If you open and only use some of the food, store it correctly and check the label for when to use it by after opening.
As simple as it sounds, this is one of the most common food hygiene mistakes. Hands are a breeding ground for bacteria, and washing them in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds prior to any food preparation is recommended to prevent any risk of illness. Rinsing hands before and after touching raw meat, fish or eggs is essential, too.
You should have a separate chopping board for raw meat, to reduce the risk of cross-contamination with other foods. Raw or undercooked meat is one of the main causes of food poisoning and having different chopping boards and knives for vegetables and meat will reduce the risk. At the very least, be sure to give your cutting board and knives an extremely good clean after they touch raw meat.
Invest in a digital food thermometer and you’ll never worry about undercooking (or overcooking) meat again. Beef, pork, lamb and veal should have a minimum internal temperature of 63ºC (145°F), while ground meats need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 71°C (160°F). Chicken on the other hand should be cooked until it reaches 74°C (165°F).