BUTUAN CITY – Be careful with your chopping boards and knives. These kitchen utensils are ‘high risk’ in harboring food-borne diseases due to their direct contact with food and hands. This was learned during the webinar on Food Contact Surfaces last October 23, 2020 via Google Meet.

Jennifer Dejarme, Senior Science Research Specialist of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga region, said that there are things typically used in preparing foods that need to be thoroughly cleaned or sanitized to prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria. Generally called food contact surfaces, these include black iron pots, concrete materials in the sink, glass items, plastic wares, rubber, stainless steel, wood, galvanized metals, paint, and sealants.

To avoid contamination, these food contact surfaces must be wiped or rinsed with detergents or applied with antimicrobial products or disinfectants. There are also non-food contact surfaces that should be sanitized as well such as floors and drains. Dejarme concluded by saying, “A clean kitchen is a safe kitchen. And safe food depends on a clean kitchen”.

The said webinar is ATI-Caraga’s pet project in lieu of the face-to-face trainings. It was the fourth episode in Season 4 of the webinar series dubbed as Internet-Based Intervention for the Development of Agriculture ng ATI Ngayon (i-BIDA nATIn).