To twitch at this handling of raw meat

[ThroughThinkandThing]

Just round to have supper with my parents. How, in the 30+ years I've known them, have I not noticed that my father doesn't wash his hands after handling raw meat?! (Chicken and pork). I've offered to help, asked if this is a new thing, but no, no help needed and he's apparently always done this.

I've watched him go from the meat, to handle veg some of which will go raw into coleslaw tomorrow, to draw the curtains, to use the tea towels, and I'm feeling slightly queezy! I'm a firm believer in the benefit of some dirt and germs to building a strong immune system, but surely this is taking things too far. I am very glad to have the invitation and have supper cooked for me, but...

I'm with you. I'm FAR from a hygiene freak but washing my hands/surfaces after touching raw meat is a MUST.

I must wash my hands about 20 times when cooking or handling food, even cracking an egg I wash my hands. Why do people think touching raw meat, famous for making people ill is in any way ok? Surely people can't lack in that common sense. I'd probably not eat the food, however if he's always been that way and you've been fine before I guess it would be ok, you've probably all built up some sort of immunity lol

My mum did this at Christmas with the chicken... stuffed it, basted it and covered it with tinfoil, flashed her hands under the cold tap (three seconds) wiped them on the teatowel (later used to dry the dishes) and then proceeded to cut and butter a bloomer ...

Appreciated all her efforts, but was squirming inside.
When asked: "well you lived with me for 17 years and you never had food poisoning, love"
Fair enough ...
I didn't eat the bread....

I just wouldn't eat it. I've seen and suffered myself with the result of this type of cross-contamination. It makes me nauseous just thinking about it.

On the rare occasion my DH cooks I watch him like a hawk and need to remind him to wash after touching raw meat. I get this from him every time.

I don't think I couldn't have said something and would have struggled to eat anything after watching that.

Yep same with my parents. Their fridge is a petri dish of bacteria and always was and yes I regularly got food poisoning growing up.

To be fair to him, so far he's not poisoned me. I have now put the tea towels in the wash, wiped off all handles and surfaces etc. Supper should be fine as all germs should get frazzled, it's all the rest of it that's the problem!

While I would never do it, I do recall learning in biology that because stomach acid kills off most bacteria, you do need to ingest several hundred/thousand salmonella bacteria (or similar) for enough to survive through to your intestines to actually multiply and take hold.

That being said, still not taking my chances!!

My mum does the quick rinse under a cold tap thing, even when going to the loo, erghh. Her dishcloths get washed maybe every 2-3 days. She says we survived growing up, but I don't seem to get anywhere near as many dodgy tummy episodes now I'm independent!

How often should dishcloths be washed

I am shockingly lax about these things Never had food poisoning in my life and neither has anyone I've lived with. The risk must be minuscule given how crap I am at remembering to wash hands every time I touch food