If you’re like me and like your drinks à la Andre 3000 (that’s, cooler than being cool: ice chilly), I’ve an essential query to ask: When’s the final time you completely cleaned out your ice dice trays?
Once more, should you’re like me, you would possibly suppose {that a} fast rinse earlier than refilling and freezing will suffice. However in response to Trevor Craig, a meals security professional and the company director of technical coaching and consulting at Microbac Laboratories, neglecting a normal scrub in between makes use of could be dangerous.
Why it’s essential to clean your ice dice tray after every use
You’re (hopefully) already used to washing your dishes, cups, utensils, and the like instantly after utilizing them. In line with Craig, we must always apply the identical hygienic requirements to our ice dice trays. “Generally, they need to be cleaned such as you would another kitchen merchandise: with scorching soapy water, then rinsed effectively,” he explains.
Whereas Craig notes that the chance for contamination is comparatively low, the chance remains to be current. “It’s a good suggestion to clean them since you simply don’t know what might have occurred or if they’ve been contaminated,” he continues. “Why threat it if it’s fairly simple to wash them earlier than refilling them?”
Ice dice trays might not be inherently extra prone to breed micro organism than different kitchen instruments. Nonetheless, since many people (I’m certain it’s not simply me… proper?) most likely don’t wash them frequently, the chance can escalate since they’re merely not so recent and so clear. (Off subject: I hope at the very least just a few readers will recognize the conveniently acceptable Outkast references to this point.) In any case, Craig reminds us that freezing isn’t actually a kill step. “It might kill some micro organism by lysis attributable to increasing water, however many micro organism survive chilly storage and might proceed to develop, though slowly,” he shares.
Craig mentions this can be a key purpose why frozen meals like ice cream are sometimes related to salmonella, listeria, and mono recollects. “The freezing course of doesn’t kill the micro organism,” he reiterates. “As quickly because it will get again into situations that help progress, that micro organism can come again and trigger sickness.” Micro organism apart, analysis exhibits that ice cubes even have the potential to harbor opportunistic pathogens—together with yeast and mould—that stay viable as you sip in your chilled bev of alternative.
“[Freezing perishable items] might kill some micro organism by lysis attributable to increasing water, however many micro organism survive chilly storage and might proceed to develop, though slowly.”
Furthermore, filling your ice dice trays with one thing past H2O—like espresso to forestall watery chilly brew, or fruit and herbs blended into water to make fancy ice—heightens the probabilities of breeding micro organism. “Including something to water is prone to enhance the chance of micro organism being launched, and vitamins into that blend to help the expansion of micro organism,” Craig cautions. Once more the chance is low however nonetheless there. “Preserve that in thoughts with something you add or make a liquid out of,” he continues. “It should have all of the micro organism dangers as earlier than however most likely simply slowed.” This consists of the likes of frozen broths and soups, particularly in the event that they had been refrigerated or left to take a seat at room temperature for just a few days, as an alternative of freezing them instantly.
3 security suggestions for ice dice storage
To make sure that your ice cubes are as secure as attainable for consumption, heed Craig’s parting suggestions.
1. Wash them (and your palms) earlier than refilling
Bear in mind: Give ice dice trays a great scrub with scorching soapy water, rinse them effectively, and allow them to dry fully placing them again to make use of. When you’re at it, fill your trays solely after washing your palms to keep away from potential contamination from the inevitable shaky switch to the freezer.
2. Retailer your ice dice trays on the highest shelf of your freezer
In case you retailer your trays wherever you will discover room in your freezer, Craig advises making a devoted house for them greater up. “A great rule that I take advantage of in my freezer is to place my ice dice trays close to the highest so they’re much less prone to be contaminated by something that might drip,” he shares. “There’s loads of meals that you simply purchase from the grocery retailer that’s naturally going to be contaminated with harmful micro organism which may go into your freezer. Meat is an effective instance and probably might drip into different meals or trays and contaminate them.” Arduous cross, TYVM.
On this level, it’s additionally a good suggestion to depart sufficient buffer room between your ice dice trays and another objects to restrict contact and thus potential contamination.
3. Clear out your ice storage container
In case your freezer has a built-in ice maker, the identical requirements for cleansing apply. “As for the [containers] which might be auto-filled and dumped by the fridge themselves, they need to be in a unique part of your fridge and are much less prone to be uncovered,” Craig notes. At any price, “They often could be eliminated and cleaned.”
