Protect Our Families From Super-Strong Germs

Dr. Rawstron did bring some good news.

The most important way to stay free of harmful bacteria is just what we tell our kids: Wash your hands!! Twelve, eighteen, twenty-nine times a day, wash your hands and make your children wash theirs.

This doesn't get rid of all bacteria, of course. There are bacteria crawling all over us, bacteria floating in the air, hanging around the house, outside in the soil. Bacteria are everywhere, but remember: as a group, bacteria are like people, some are good (the ones that aid in digestion) and some are bad. Your goal in washing is to keep your family healthy, not sterile; use regular soap and warm water (although cold water is better than nothing), rub hands thoroughly and scrape under the fingernails; wash for at least 20 seconds.

One of the most surprising things to hear from Dr. Rawstron was the role of antibacterial soaps in the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

You and I buy the stuff because we think it will protect our families from germs. We use anything labeled "antibacterial" because we believe it will help keep our loved ones well . . . But in this case we're contributing to the very antibiotic-resistant bacteria that may make us sicker. Through constant exposure to low levels of antimicrobial action, the bacteria that are not killed are the stronger bacteria which produce new generations of bacteria that are better able to withstand the next onslaught of cleanser.

Consider using only regular soaps to wash skin, scrub dishes and scour the bathroom. Regular soaps and detergents will do the job and will not add to the antibiotic resistance of household bacteria.

Wash and Cook, That's What We Do

Wash fresh vegetables well and cook meat thoroughly. This is advice we've heard our whole lives.

To wash vegetables and fruit some people use a drop or so of unscented detergent in a bowl of warm water or even a weak-bleach wash of one part household chlorine bleach mixed with 20 parts plain water, both techniques are followed by lots of rinsing with water. (Filtered water has the advantage of not containing tap water's possibilities for trouble.) These cleaning methods will certainly cut down the chances of any infection coming from whole pieces of fruit or raw vegetables.

The peel of fruit is where bacteria are located but juice is often made by crushing the whole fruit (as in apple cider) so bacteria from the fruit's peel will end up in the juice. Pasteurization, that is, exposing liquid to a high temperature for a period of time, kills microorganisms, parasites and viruses as well as bacteria. All products that have undergone this safety procedure will clearly be labeled "Pasteurized." Milk or juice labeled "Raw" has not been pasteurized. Additionally, some dairy foods, like soft cheeses (Brie, goat cheese, etc.) may not have been made from pasteurized milk. Always check before you buy!

Our Infectious Disease specialist pointed to HAMBURGER as a primary carrier of food-borne bacteria. The outside of any piece of meat can be contaminated by fecal material from the intestines of the slaughtered animal. Because pieces of meat from many different animals are ground together to make hamburger, one piece of contaminated beef with some intestinal bacteria on the outside of it can contaminate batches of ground meat. The Department of Agriculture's "Safe Food Project" gives 165° as a safe temperature for ground meat of any kind. If a thermometer is not available, such as when you're at a restaurant, do not eat hamburger that is still pink inside.

Basically, any food-borne bacteria can be killed by heat, so cook food thoroughly -- even leftovers should be reheated to at least 165°, soups and gravies should have come to a boil -- and carefully wash whatever is not going to be cooked.

Meat Temperatures: Kill Those Wicked Germs

The suggested interior temperatures for beef, chicken and pork are 165°, 180° and 170°, respectively; use a meat thermometer to check.

However, if you just despise well-done beef, it is probable (although not absolutely certain) that completely searing the outside of a steak or roast and then continuing to cook the meat until it is at least medium (interior temperature of 150°) would make a safe dinner.