Buzz
Whether you're preparing a fresh green salad with a tangy vinaigrette or a large, roasted cut of meat with a flavorful, crispy crust, you'll likely need to grab a jar or two from your spice rack. Once you're finished cooking and cleaning up, you'll return the jars to their designated spot—whether that’s an immaculately organized spice rack or a more chaotic, less organized spice drawer. But here’s the thing: you probably won’t bother cleaning the jars before putting them back. Most people don’t. But you should.
As reported by The Kitchn, a recent study showed that spice jars tend to be cleaned less often than other frequently touched areas like cutting boards and countertops:
A recent study
involved 371 participants who were asked to prepare meals in test kitchens with raw ground turkey patties and a pre-packaged salad. The ‘secret ingredient’? A harmless virus called MS2. While the participants believed they were testing new recipes, the real goal was to investigate how much cross-contamination happens in a kitchen. Researchers found that MS2 cross-contamination was detected on most surfaces less than 20% of the time. However, one area had a contamination rate of an alarming 48%:
spice jars
.
While MS2 is generally considered a harmless trace virus, it serves as a reminder of how easily more dangerous pathogens could spread through your kitchen, even when you're diligent about maintaining hygiene.
Spice jars, though less obviously filthy than kitchen tools like knives, pans, cutting boards, or counters, are not immune to spills, splatters, and other contaminants. Plus, every time you handle the jars to retrieve spices, you’re introducing potential germs into the mix. I’m sure you make an effort to wash your hands thoroughly, but mistakes—like accidentally touching raw chicken before reaching for the garlic powder—can happen.
The good news is, there's an easy fix to this grimy issue: Clean your spice jars. Add it to your cleaning routine. Before putting your herbs and spices back, give the (closed) jars a quick wipe with a cloth dampened in all-purpose cleaner or, for a more natural approach, a 50/50 mixture of water and white vinegar. This simple habit will help prevent harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli from contaminating your kitchen while also stopping gunk and grime from accumulating on your spices. After all, that buildup not only looks unappealing, it’s also a breeding ground for bacteria.
