Over the years, we have developed all kinds of vaccines to wipe out childhood and other diseases. We also have great ways of storing food under sanitary conditions in specialized laboratories. However, what does the average person use in our kitchens on a daily basis that will keep our food germ free?

David went to his favourite restaurant on a Saturday night. He ordered soup and noodles. While he was waiting for his order to be served, he just happened to glance in the kitchen of the restaurant and saw a sight that stunned him! He saw the chef picking his nose and then using the same hand to put sandwiches on a plate. Another chef was preparing his soup and took a spoon out of his pocket and tasted it. He adjusted the seasoning with his bare hands and then tasted the soup with the same spoon that he had used earlier!

David has since found a new favourite restaurant!

This issue goes way beyond one restaurant in one city. You must realize that millions of harmful germs are in these places around the world. Bleach and sanitary practices take care of these germs while filth and bad hand washing practices allow them to breed and spread. Not every single germ will harm you but the numbers of the ones that will are staggering.

Studies have revealed that a toilet seat has fewer germs than most kitchens. If this tells us nothing else, it should alert us to the fact that proper cleanliness should be a top priority for restaurants and other food service areas.

Below you will find the most common germs that live in the kitchen and food prep areas of most business restaurants:

Staphylococcus aureus: More commonly known as Staph, it is present in the nose and on the skin. On the skin it causes relatively small lesions but when it's found in food it can lead to serious illness!

Salmonella: One of the most recognizable bacterium on the planet! It's most often present in chicken or meat products and is a leading cause of food poisoning.

Clostridium Botulinium: Botulism if you haven't already guessed. This bacterium is found in many places, canned food, meat and vegetables no food is safe from it! This little bug can kill you if left un-treated.

This is by no means a complete list of the common bacteria found in food that can cause serious complications. These are simply a sample; there are many more things like fungi, protozoa and viruses that find their way into kitchens and restaurants across the nation.

Is there any way to avoid these germs? How can you make your kitchen a disease free zone?

Below are a few things you can do to make your kitchen more sanitary:

- Replace your dishrags with paper towels. Use cleaning tools that are the disposable type and if you must use a cloth rag for cleaning make sure to wash it in hot water and soap.

- Use latex gloves while handling food.

- Cutting boards are a kitchen staple in most kitchens. The trick is to buy new ones often. Cutting boards are a favourite hang out for germs and bacteria. When yours has several scratches, you need to replace it. In addition, it can be handy to have multiple boards. Colour coded boards now exist to make sure you do not cross contaminate vegetables and meat products.

These are some simple yet powerful ways to rid your kitchen of harmful germs and keep your customers healthy.

If you are ready to get down to the nitty gritty there are professionals out there to assist you. They will watch the food safety procedures in place in your kitchen and give you a grade based on national standard guidelines of hygiene. From handling food to cleanliness of food and preparation areas, they handle them all and even assist in training your staff.