BODY WATCH : How to Keep Those Nasty Kitchen Creatures at Bay

Here’s what experts recommend to reduce the spread of unwanted bacteria in the kitchen:

* Wash hands frequently and properly during meal preparation. Be especially vigilant about washing hands immediately after preparing meat or poultry.

* Use paper towels whenever possible.

* Clean sinks, counters, kitchen tables and cutting boards with a bleach solution (designed to kill harmful bacteria) or with antibacterial soaps or sprays. The recipe for a homemade bleach solution is to mix one teaspoon of bleach with one quart of water.

* Use one cutting board for raw meat and poultry, another for chopping food that won’t be cooked.

* Toss sponges, dish cloths and scrub brushes into the dishwasher after dinner each night. Boil them with a small amount of bleach, if you don’t use a dishwasher. Replace these items often.

* Don’t let dishes soak in the sink. The mixture of food, warm water and soap provides the perfect conditions for bacterial growth.

* Color code sponges for specific jobs to reduce cross-contamination. For example, use a green one to scrub the sink and blue to scrape dishes. Don’t forget to regularly wipe off faucet handles as well as handles on refrigerator doors and cupboards.