Debunking Food Myths

Oct 22, 2010
Toby Welch

Is Your Water Bottle Making You Sick? - Kenyon

Not knowing the truth about food handling practices can make you sick. Find out the truth behind some common food myths.

Myths can be dangerous when people don’t know if they are true or not. Let's cover some common ones about food.

Food Handling Practices

You can safely thaw foods on the counter on cool days. FALSE. Unless you live in an igloo, this is a bad idea. When food is at room temperature, harmful bacteria can double every 20 minutes. Thaw food in the refrigerator or the microwave (if using the food as soon as the microwave beeps.)

Leftovers that haven’t been eaten within a week need to be thrown out. FALSE. Keep leftovers no longer than three days or they can become unsafe to eat.

If you drop food on the floor, it is safe to eat as long as you pick it up within five seconds. FALSE. Most bacterial transfer occurs immediately when something hits the floor.

Dr. Anne Adkins, a Professor of Biology at the University of Winnipeg, clarifies for us. “It depends a lot on where you drop the food, what is on the floor at the time, and on the type of food dropped. I would hate to generalize. If it is a piece of dry, uncooked spaghetti or a dry cracker, I would likely pick it up and eat it (provided it did not fall into a pile of floor sweepings or dirty dog soil tracks - a high bacterial load.) On the other hand, if it was a moist piece of meat or fruit, I would throw it out. Microorganisms rapidly adhere to moist surfaces (increased adhesion!) Why take a chance? When in doubt, throw out!”

Hot water from the tap is not safe for cooking. TRUE. Dr. James M. Symons, a water expert, civil engineer and the author of Plain Talk About Drinking Water, agrees, "Metals from household piping and water heaters dissolve into warm water more readily than cold water. This makes water from your hot water heater more likely to contain potentially harmful contaminants. Cold water should be used for household cooking as much as possible."

It’s safe to eat food from dented cans. TRUE. As long as the dent didn’t pierce the can and the dent isn’t on the seams or on the top or bottom lid, it is fine. Avoid using cans that are bulging, leaking, or rusting. When in doubt, toss it.

Your water bottle could be making you sick. TRUE. Many people refill their water bottles without washing them which leads to a backup of bad bacteria. This can make you ill. Water bottles need to be thoroughly washed with hot soapy water and a bottlebrush every day.

If food smells okay, it is safe to eat. FALSE. Many disease-causing bacteria in food produce no odour. When in doubt, throw it out.

Food prepared at home is much safer than restaurant food. FALSE. Poor home food handling practices cause more illnesses than professionally prepared food. Most professional food handlers have been trained in safe techniques and are careful about how the food is prepared, cooked, and stored.

Dairy Product Myths

If cheese is mouldy, just cut off the mould spots and it is safe to eat. TRUE. Well, for many cheeses it is true. According to Lee Finell, a Registered Nutritionist and the Nutrition Educator for Alberta’s Dairy Producers, “If you have a hard cheese such as cheddar you can safely eat the cheese if you cut off 1 inch of the cheese from all sides of the block. Do not scrape off the mould as it may have grown into the cheese. However if mould has formed on a soft cheese such as Brie or Camembert, or a fresh cheese such as cottage or ricotta, throw the cheese away as the mould will be dispersed throughout the cheese.”

If milk or cream have passed their expiration date but smell okay, they are safe to consume. FALSE. Lee Finell clarifies this for us, “Milk or dairy products should not be consumed if the best before date has passed. Although the food may not appear to be spoiled, it may still contain microorganisms (germs) that might make you ill.”

You should not store eggs in the door of the fridge. TRUE. According to Brenda Watson, Executive Director of theCanadian Partnership for Consumer Food Safety Education, “Store eggs in their original container — in the center or back of the fridge where the temperature will fluctuate less than on the door. The carton guards against breakage and odour absorption and helps to prevent moisture loss which lowers egg quality.”

Mayonnaise is a major contributor of food poisoning. FALSE. This myth lingers from a time when mayonnaise was made with raw eggs which can harbour salmonella. Mayonnaise is now made with pasteurized eggs and citric acid. There is a much greater danger of getting food poisoning from undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables.

Mood Food Myths

Drinking coffee cures drowsiness. FALSE. Caffeinated drinks temporarily make you feel alert but soon leave you even more sluggish. There is no substitute for sleep to cure drowsiness.

Chocolate with a white film is safe to eat. TRUE. The white coating is a result of the cocoa butter and sugar separating from the chocolate. It is safe to eat although the flavour and texture may have changed.

Produce is ready to eat because the water misters in the grocery store have cleaned it. FALSE. Grocery stores spray water on produce to make it look more appealing so you’ll buy it. The brief misting does not remove harmful bacteria or pesticides. Wash produce in clean water before eating it.

Alcohol evaporates when you cook with booze. FALSE. 85% of alcohol remains after the food has been boiled briefly. After simmering for an hour, 25% remains and 5% of the alcohol is still there after three hours of simmering.

Hope you enjoyed learning the truth about some well-known food myths.

To read about more safety myths, check out:

Safety Myths About Being on the Road

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Myths About Violence and Crime Debunked

Safety Myths About Children Debunked

Myths About Our Bodies Debunked

Common Safety Myths Debunked