A 2016 FDA survey showed 49% of consumers use their smartphones while preparing food. However, only one-third washed their hands with soap after touching the devices! Why is this a big deal? Whenever you touch a phone, the bacteria on that phone travel to your hands. If your unwashed hands then touch food, you transfer those bacteria to the food. This can cause foodborne illness.
Here are three tips to keep your phone from contaminating your food:
- Clean and sanitize your phone regularly with a lint-free cloth.
- Avoid taking your phone into the bathroom.
- Scrub your hands at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water after touching a phone and before handling food.
Sources: FDA, National Institutes of Health, Phys.org