We've joked about it. We've foreseen the possibility. We've used it as an analogy to homeschooling. But now real looks are being taken at the dangers of cooking at home. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100902/ap_on_he_me/us_med_dirty_kitchens
Oh. My. Goodness. So now the government is trying to inspect my kitchen to see if it's fit to cook in? How rediculous!!
wow that's nuts. I always rinse my fresh fruits and vegs, but really lets think about that. We know that only bleach or boiling temps ect can kill really tough bacteria, so washing them probably just makes you feel good, but I doubt it really kills anything. Rinsing your lettuce does not kill parasites and will not remove some insect eggs firmly attached and too small to see? So I do not buy into all that. I store raw meat on the top shelf of my fridge cause it is the coldest spot in my fridge. I always put it in a bowl or Tupperware though, so I don't see where they are going with that. The truth of the matter is most restaurants are cleaner than people's kitchens, so I don't understand these folks that gripe about how dirty restaurants are. Granted I guess the dirt in YOUR kitchen is yours and not public dirt
Peanut, have you ever worked in a commercial kitchen? I know people who will never eat at McDonald's again because they worked there for awhile during college. The only way I can eat at a fast food place is if I totally refuse to think about it. Have you ever watched Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares? I think that's the show where he tries to salvage restaurants that are going downhill, and the STUFF he cleans out of their freezers, fridges, and various nooks and crannies is ridiculous! And it's not just the ones going downhill - of course, most are cleaner than that, but my son has worked in many restaurant kitchens and there are very FEW that actually do a thorough cleaning, even once a week! ALL of them have "little visitors" with six or four legs.... As far as home kitchens, many a case of "stomach flu" is actually food poisoning.
"I would say if they got below a C, I'm not sure I would like them to invite me to dinner," said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. As if I'd invite him. <snicker> Of course, I let my kid eat stuff if they drop it and pick it right back up. I suppose I'll be answering to CPS...
Ok - really? First off my kitchen did pass inspection.... however.... they didn't LOOK at 1/2 the stuff they stated. No one looked at where I store my meat. We grow our veggies most of the time - nope we don't always wash them - my kids eat the tomatoes off the vine "HEAVEN FORBID!" Restaurants know when the inspector is coming - when I worked in one we always cleaned better/more the week we knew he was coming... we didn't know the day - but we usually knew the week. The dang egg outbreak was mainly from the source farm - too much crap! Honestly - chickens living in poop and not walking around - yea stuff like that will happen. So far the farms that the eggs came from aren't even passing inspections. However - if the eggs had been cooked 100% solid.... we wouldn't have know (forget sunny-side up eggs) I have personally decided the government has gone nuts and grown way over protective of stuff..... but that's another story
All I read in the article was that they did a study in 2008 and 1 county has had online safety quizzes since 2006. No government involvment or anything when it comes to now inspecting our homes (or future plans to). The researchers even said the study "was imperfect" because it was a internet quiz not actually inspectioning the homes themselves. They just want poeple to be aware of the hazards of not having good cleaning habits in the kitchen. My dh was a beer and beverage salemen for many years and he often delievered to local resturants...he would say " we are NEVER eating at such and such place again, I just saw their kitchen and its gross" or " ya, never eating at _____, the fridge was really bad, had rotten food and dripping, leaking meat all over". So yep we rarely eat out not.
The point is that they are looking at this as a problem. That's how something starts: The government determines something is a problem. They launch an educational campaign that is non-intrusive to teach people how to fix the problem. The people don't really fix the problem so the government decides they need to step in and fix it for them.
But this has been going on since 2006..the study done in 2008 , the results published Thursday, totally imperfect results (flawed even)....no new plans yet to start a program from the goverment that I read here. IMHO I would have listed this as a look at this study..not a so it begins. It could happen your way, but I just don't see it. I might eat my words later but the goverment would have a riot on its hands if they said they were coming into peoples homes to inspect their kitchens..plus the money alone to implement such a program would be far too high, yes they spend a lot on wars and such, but on a program of this size to fund it would out way any fine monies that they would get if someone didn't pass inspection.
And 100 years ago people would have said, "They'd have a riot on their hands if they try to impose on the freedom of the press." But that is happening. And there is no riot. In fact, many members of the press are demanding press regulations. 100 years ago people would have thought we'd be rioting about a lot of things to which we have grown accustomed. And I'm sorry I titled my thread wrong, but I stand by it. We've had several conversations about this very topic over the last couple of weeks. I know when the studies took place. It's also an ongoing survey. It's still current. I never said there was a government inspection in the works. I said this is the first step. And I firmly believe that.
I personally don't think you titled you'r thread wrong, Actress. Actually, I agree, there are far too many examples of the descent to control for one not to atleast consider it a possibility.
Amie, Great thread. I agree, it is the little steps that seem reasonable. Like the crazy guy and discovery...He mentioned at least two things that got him going...a book "Ishmeal" about a telepathic gorilla (eco thought provoking) and Al Gore. Now as much as I would like to "outlaw" Al Gore...this is the sort of thing people use as "proof" that, tv - books - movies are bad and need to be regulated. I DO think it is possible. Who KNOWS what the 'state' may decide is in it's best interest in the future.
DH has worked in MANY restaurant kitchens (one of which we worked together. I was a busser and he was a cook at a truck stop). Everyone of the places he has worked at we RARELY eat at (VERY VERY well known fast foods restaurants, think McD's, Hardees, Burger King, Wendy's) because the kitchen was disgusting and the PEOPLE WORKING THERE weren't much better. It's not their food their cooking so why do they care if they get it right/wrong/clean/dirty. The truckstop we worked at had GREAT FOOD, and we loved all the people there but they had tiny (and some not so tiny) little crawling creatures. We worked there for about 2 years, and the kitchen was NASTY..it's the nooks and crannies that get you and attract all the bugs. I'd have to agree with the previous poster: Your BLITZKREIG clean about a week before you knew the inspector was coming so it looked above average, and when they left it went right back to the way it was. Also...just a side note...Once you know the people who are back there cooking your food (clean kitchen or not I don't think it matters in this circumstance) you might not want to eat it either. lol
