Local news stations, featuring consumer "watchdogs," have made a habit of routinely "exposing" area restaurants that have violated health codes. And while such stories certainly have the power to increase viewership, they can also spur restaurateurs to pay closer attention to what's going on the kitchen. As these reports demonstrate, even a one-time mistake can have huge consequences.

However, while many consumers are particular about which restaurants they will patronize, they fail to recognize the risks they're taking in their own kitchens. Despite what you might think, it may indeed be safer to eat out than in your own home if you're not taking the proper precautions to avoid food poisoning.

So many cooks fail to keep a bottle of dishwashing liquid next to their sinks. That's a serious mistake, considering that failing to wash one's hands after handling undercooked meats is a prime cause of food poisoning. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before you begin cooking, after you handle raw foods -- particularly meat -- and after you're done cooking. Avoid re-using your utensils and cutting boards during meal preparation if you can help it. You're best protected if you use separate work surfaces and bowls to prepare and cut meat, and use different containers and work surfaces to prepare the other items on your menu, such as produce. If this isn't possible due to lack of space or utensils, wash everything that comes into contact with your food with hot, soapy water before you begin to prepare the next dish. If you're using countertops during meal preparation, wash them with hot, sudsy water, as well. Purchase an antibacterial kitchen cleaner, and frequently clean your countertops, refrigerator and freezer handles, sink and faucets.

When you're letting frozen chicken, fish or other meat defrost, keep it in your refrigerator -- not your kitchen counter. Even room temperatures provide a breeding ground for bacterial growth and contamination. The same rules apply when you're marinating meat. Keep it in the refrigerator. If you're planning on "basting" the meat with marinade during the cooking process, take precautions by placing the marinade in a saucepan and bringing it to a low boil before you brush it on the undercooked meat. The boiling marinade will stave off bacterial contamination upon contact with the meat. And if you're grilling outdoors, never place the cooked meat onto the platter that carried the raw meat to the grill. Use a separate platter or dish.

While you're cooking meat, take its temperature to determine if it's cooked thoroughly. According to Johns Hopkins University, a general rule of thumb to follow in the kitchen is to keep your hot foods at temperatures above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and your cold foods below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When you're dealing with meats, however, it's better to err on the side of caution. Veal, pork and lamb should be at a minimum temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Beef should be at a minimum of 170 degrees, and chicken should reach 185 degrees.

To burst the bubble of that wonderful childhood memory -- the one in which we licked the bowl, the beaters and the spatula clean while making cookies, or we picked up stray pieces of Grandma's homemade pie-crust dough and ate them with abandon -- this is risky behavior. Why? Raw eggs. The same goes for that much-loved dish, Caesar salad. The "authentic" Caesar salad, a recipe that many enlightened cooks have now revised to respect the laws of food safety, calls for a raw egg in its dressing.

When you're serving that casserole at dinnertime, don't leave it out on the stovetop to cool while you linger over dinner and dessert. Divide the leftovers into small containers, and place it in the refrigerator or freezer as soon as possible. Don't wait until after dinner.

Are dishtowels and sponges a multi-use item in your kitchen? Do you use dishtowels to dry your dishes and your hands? Does that sponge wipe down the sink and your pans? Either avoid sponges, or wash them frequently by tossing them in your dishwasher or even clothes washer. Or you can rinse them frequently with hot, soapy water. Wash your dishtowels frequently, and use paper towels to dry your hands.

If you do experience food poisoning due to careless kitchen habits, you'll know it. It's a frequent misconception among the public, however, that symptoms make their appearance immediately after contact with contaminated food. Sometimes it takes a couple of days, a week, or even two weeks after contact with contaminated food before the symptoms hit. And it's an experience you won't soon forget. If you haven't been inspired to change your kitchen habits before then, you will when you recover.

Among the five most common types of bacteria that cause food poisoning is salmonella, the most commonly known culprit in the kitchen. Some 3 million to 4 million people in the United States suffer from "salonellosis" each year. While most consumers associate salmonella with undercooked chicken, this bacteria also may be found in raw or undercooked eggs, fish and in other varieties of meat that have not been cooked adequately. Cross-contamination also is a serious risk when we re-use cooking surfaces -- for example, placing a raw piece of meat on a cutting board, and then using it to chop vegetables without washing it thoroughly first. Re-using utensils also poses the danger of cross-contamination.

Another common culprit: staph, found in the respiratory tract -- the throat and nasal passages, as well as the hands after sneezing and coughing. Bacteria thrives in heat, and staph is no exception. In particular, staph multiplies in cream-based dishes: macaroni and cheese, macaroni salads made with mayonnaise, egg and tuna salad, potato salad and more. Take these cream-based dishes to a warm summer picnic, and you're asking for trouble. Your best defense is to avoid taking such dishes outdoors altogether; or if you do, don't leave them outside or even at room temperature, for that matter, for longer than two hours.

Meats aren't the only risk in your kitchen when it comes to food safety. Fruits and vegetables also pose a risk because of the soil with which they previously made contact. A bacteria called clostridium perfringens live within soil, as well as on many foods, and are responsible for thousands of illness each year in the United States. To avoid contamination, wash all raw fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Clostridium perfringens, much like other bacterial varieties that cause food poisoning, also are spread when hot food is left out on the counter for long periods and is allowed to cool. Again, place your leftovers in the refrigerator right away to cool them quickly.

Young children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to food poisoning and its effects. Dr. C. Everett Koop recommends two other tips for reducing the risk of food poisoning: First, set the temperature of your refrigerator at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and your freezer is set at zero degrees Fahrenheit or colder, if possible. When Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, and it's time to store the turkey in your refrigerator, don't keep it there beyond two days before cooking it. An uncooked turkey left there longer than two days could place you and your family at risk for bacterial contamination.

As these examples demonstrate, you're not alone in your kitchen. Advertisers have found it easy to play into our fears, as stores stock shelves with too many antibacterial products to count. While these products have their merit, your best defense is a little common sense in your kitchen. Your kitchen could indeed pose a more serious risk to your family's health than your local restaurant; and yet it's here that you have the power to take a few simple preventive measures. Here's to your health .. bon appetit.

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Published: August 11, 1999

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Editor's Note: This article reflects the opinions of Courtney Ronan only and not necessarily the views of this or any other publication, organization or Website owner.